No. 4 2014-15 North Carolina Central
Record: 25-8, 16-0 MEAC
The 2015 NCCU squad had the tough task of replacing an All-MEAC backcourt, which included the conference Player of The Year. Nimrod Hilliard stepped up to fill Chapman’s role as playmaker and Jordan Parks went from being an athletic sidepiece to filling a main role as a scorer and rebounder with several other supporting players taking on bigger roles.
There was no signature Power Five win like the previous season, however, this NCCU team was able to do something it didn’t the year before: go a perfect 16-0 in the MEAC during the regular season. Heading into the tournament it looked like it would once again be a coronation for the boys from Durham. However, it was not to be as NCCU was knocked off in the MEAC semifinals by an upstart Delaware State squad that had pushed it to the limit in the regular season.
So why does this team get the nod over one that actually brought home the title? The MEAC was a better league this season, with four other teams .500 or better. And the 2016-17 team lost to an A&T team that hadn’t beaten a Divsion I team all season after wrapping up the regular season title. This team never let its foot off the gas, it just got caught by a tough DSU squad.
Key Players: Jordan Parks, Nimrod Hilliard, Dante Holmes, Karamo Jawara