NORFOLK, VA – Howard University won its second-consecutive MEAC Tournament title on Saturday, garnering a back-to-back title that looked unlikely less than a week ago.
Howard came up with a 70-67 win over Delaware State on Saturday in the Norfolk Scope, outlasting an even bigger underdog than itself in the win. DSU led by as many as six points midway through the second half, but Howard battled back.
Leading the way for HU in scoring was Jordan Hairston. A little-used reserve prior to injuries late in the season, Hairston scored a team-high 18 points in the win.
“It’s unreal. This is feeling that everybody chases throughout their career,” Hairston said. “And to be able to finally get it done – to know that all the hours that you’ve put in either working out by yourself or all the hours as a team we’ve put in at 7 AM – to see it be accomplished is an unreal feeling.”
Bryce Harris and Seth Towns added 16 points each in the win for HU, adding seven and eight rebounds, respectively. Harris also added four blocks. Marcus Dockery added 15 points.
Kevin Muniz led Delaware State with 24 points, hitting four of his eight 3-pointers. Martaz Robinson added 16 points and eight rebounds as DSU fell just short in its bid to win its first MEAC title since 2005.
The win gave Howard University back-to-back MEAC titles for the first time since it won in 1980 and 1981. The team that cut down the nets on Saturday had a few pieces remaining from last season – Harris and Dockery played meaningful minutes on last year’s title squad – but it also lost three of its top five players from the previous year to the transfer portal. Shy Odom, last season’s MEAC Rookie of The Year and Tournament Most Outstanding Player, did not play at all in the tournament.
“We never talked about defending – we just talked about pursuing,” Howard head coach Kenneth Blakeney said after the game. “And I’m just so proud of these guys and their work ethic.”