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Bowie also opened the second half with a spurt thanks largely to a rare four-point play from senior Jeffrey James (13 points) and never allowed the Tigers to get closer than 11 points. DuVal looked to rally by hitting 3-pointers. The Tigers connected nine times from beyond the arc, but none of those came in the fourth quarter, when Bowie twice extended its lead to 17 points.

"I thought we did a good job passing the ball and getting everyone involved in the offense," said Bowie second-year coach Cedric Holbrook. "We got 50 points off assists. That means a lot of guys were really unselfish. Even Jeff can be too unselfish at times, but he had a good run in the third quarter when he decided to be more aggressive. I'd like him to do more of that."

DuVal coach Artie Walker said he was not pleased with the way his players performed on the defensive end in the first half, but he liked the improved effort in the second half. The Tigers held Bowie to 25 points in the final two periods – only one more point than DuVal scored in the same span.

"We took too many 3-point shots in the first half and that just opened up the court for Bowie," Walker said. "I thought we did a much better job in the second half. I like where this team is headed. We're going to be better, I'm just not sure when that's going to happen."

Bowie owned a 25-20 lead at the end of the first quarter, although the Tigers connected on four 3-point field goals in the opening period, getting two from senior Keith Crocket and one each from Andrew Council and Kevin Kuteyi.

But the Bulldogs ended the first quarter with a conventional 3-point play from Randall Castleberry and then started the second quarter on a 10-0 run, with Castleberry accounting for half of those points and Temilade Shoniare adding a layup.

DuVal's Chris Smith ended the 13-0 run with a 3-pointer, and the two teams traded baskets over the last 5 minutes of the first half. DeAnte Cannon connected on a 3-pointer for DuVal to get the Tigers within 41-30 with 1:45 remaining in the half, but Bowie guard Jared Carithers countered with a 3-pointer 80 seconds later, as Bowie took a 44-31 lead into halftime.

Cannon opened the second half with another 3-pointer, but James, a Mount St. Mary's University recruit, scored the game's next six points. He converted a four-point play by hitting a 3-pointer from the corner and the subsequent free throw after being fouled. After a DuVal turnover, James missed a dunk that would have given the Bulldogs an 18-point lead.

"We had a few too many missed layups," Holbrook said. "We have to work on finishing. In close games, those missed baskets can really come back to haunt you."

Crocket responded with a pair of 3-pointers to get DuVal back into contention at 52-40. But he missed badly on his next two attempts from beyond the arc, and David Ijeh converted only 1 of 4 free throw attempts that could have narrowed the Bowie advantage to single-digits late in the third quarter.

Following a slow start to the fourth quarter on both ends, Cannon converted on a conventional 3-point play to get DuVal within 11 at 57-46 with 5:43 to play. But Bowie gained a comfortable 67-50 advantage with 3 minutes remaining on the strength of second-chance baskets from SteVaughn Doss, Malcolm Dickson and Kyle Jordan. The Tigers got 5 of their last 7 points at the free throw line.

Bowie 69, DuVal 57

Bowie (2-1) 25 19 13 12 – 69

DuVal (1-2) 20 11 12 12 – 57

B: Jeff James 13, Jason Amos 8, Randall Castleberry 12, Kyle Jordan 4, Jared Carithers 10,Joshua Fitzgerald 5, Temilade Shoniare 2, Keith Wormley 2, SteVaughn Doss 4, Malcolm Dickson 9.

D: De'Ante Cannon 12, David Ije 13, Andrew Council 6, Kevin Kuteyi 5, Chris Smith 3, John Monkam 2, Terrance Smith 2, Keith Crocket 14