It’s been 24 years since Howard last won a MEAC Basketball Championship, but that may soon change.
Howard, led by Preseason Player of The Year James Daniel III, was announced as the favorite to finish atop the MEAC on Friday. Daniel averaged an NCAA Division I high 27.1 points per game last season. HU has three MEAC Tournament titles, but hasn’t won it all since 1992.
South Carolina State was predicted to finish second. SCSU finished 19-15 last season, making a run to the title game before falling to Hampton. They return much of the talent that fueled that team, including Preseason First-Team All-MEAC performer Eric Eaves.
Hampton, the two-time defending champion, was picked to finish third in the conference. The back-to-back champions lost several key players from last year’s team, including leading scorer Reginald Johnson, Jr. and big man Quinton Chevious.
Here is the full predicted finish:
2016-17 MEAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
As voted on by the MEAC’s head men’s basketball coaches and sports information directors.
(First place votes in parenthesis)
Team Points
1. Howard (14) 299
2. South Carolina State (9) 292
3. Hampton (2) 250
4. North Carolina Central 234
5. Norfolk State 203
6. Bethune-Cookman 182
7. North Carolina A&T State 141
8. Maryland Eastern Shore 140
9. Morgan State 136
10. Coppin State 123
11. Savannah State 121
12. Delaware State 104
13. Florida A&M 50