NORFOLK, VA — Howard University and NC Central will take center on Saturday afternoon at the Scope, with the MEAC’s automatic NCAA Tournament bid on the line. It is a championship matchup that pits the conference’s top seed against its hottest survivor.
Howard University enters the title game at 22-10 overall and 11-3 in MEAC play after beating South Carolina State 78-61 in Friday’s semifinal. The Bison have looked every bit like the league’s most complete team. It leads the conference in scoring at 80.8 points per game in MEAC action while holding opponents to just 63.3 points per game. It also brings a plus-9.6 rebounding margin in league play, a major edge in a tournament setting.
Kenneth Blakeney said the key for this group has been how quickly a new roster came together.
“We have nine new players, and we were very fortunate and blessed to have nine great young men,” Blakeney said after Friday’s semifinal win. He added that the Bison have meshed as a team at the right time. That is exactly what a coach wants to see heading into March.
NC Central took a gritty path back
NC Central enters the final at 14-17 overall and 8-6 in league play, but the Eagles have earned their way here with toughness. They beat UMES in overtime and then held off Delaware State 59-53 in the semifinal. In MEAC games, NC Central averaged 72.1 points, forced 14.4 turnovers per game, and was led by Gage Lattimore’s 15.1 points per game. Dionte Johnson added 10.1 points and 69 assists, while Kelechi Okworogwo shot 64.6 percent from the field in league action.
The MEAC championship game should come down to whether Saturday becomes another Howard wave or another gritty NC Central survival act. LeVelle Moton knows exactly what kind of challenge is waiting.
“We’re gonna go back and staff there and put a game plan together,” Moton said after Friday’s semifinal win. “They come at you in waves.” He also pointed to the matchup problems Howard creates across the floor, saying, “They’re undersized, but they’re strong and physical as well,” and added, “They got two” player of the year-level guys.
Moton also made clear that the regular-season results will not decide Sunday. “None of that matters. Tomorrow is what truly matters,” he said.
MEAC legacies on the line
That is the beauty of MEAC tournament basketball. Howard comes in as the top seed and favorite. But NC Central has already shown it can win ugly, survive fatigue, and drag an opponent into a fight
Moton is chasing his fifth MEAC Tournament title and first since 2019. Blakeney is chasing his third in four years. The two successful coaches have never met in the championship game until now. Howard University has the edge on paper. NC Central believes Saturday is a reset. That tension is what should make the title game worth watching at 1 p.m. on ESPNU.