The local rivals were tied at halftime, but the Selma University Bulldogs pulled away in the second half for a 72-52 win over the Concordia College Hornets on Wednesday.

Jeremy Fortune, head men’s basketball coach of Selma University (8-6), said his team was locked in and executed better in the second half of Wednesday’s win.

“I think we were just more focused coming out in the second half,” Fortune said. “They came out, they executed their plays better, and were just all around better in the second half.”

Fredrick Summers, head men’s basketball coach of Concordia College (2-17), said the Hornets came out flat in the second half.

“We had a lack of effort, bottom line,” Summers said. “We didn’t come to play with any energy and any effort toward the end of the second half.”

The game was tied 30-30 at halftime and the teams went back and forth early in the second half until Selma’s Kawaski Calhoun and Jamie Washington hit back-to-back 3-pointers to help the Bulldogs open up the game and take a 54-45 lead with 7:26 left to play.

Calhoun scored on another three-point play, this time scoring on a layup and converting the free throw after being fouled to make it a 57-45 game with 6:06 left.

The Hornets hit a free throw to make it 57-46, but Washington responded with a fast-break dunk that sparked a 9-0 Bulldogs run that included five points from Washington and four from Calhoun to give Selma a 66-46 lead with 3:28 left, as Concordia only got as close as 18 the rest of the way.

Washington led the Bulldogs with 31 points, while Calhoun had 13 points and Joshua Stallworth added 7 points for Selma.

Travis Rasco had 18 points for the Hornets, while Jeremy Sturdivant had 17 points, including three 3-pointers in the first half.

Selma will take the floor again Saturday at home against Victory University starting at 2 p.m., while Concordia will play again Friday at home against Victory University starting at 7 p.m.