The 2023-24 MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) Men’s college
basketball season has been an exciting one to witness if you’re a fan
of HBCU hoops. We’ll take a sneak peak at what fans can expect to
see in Norfolk this March.
A LOT can be said about MEAC basketball this season. The product
being a boring one is NOT one of them. In one of the more
competitive conference races in recent years, Norfolk State looks like
a lock to close out the regular season slate with the crown. This sets
the stage for what looks to be an extremely entertaining and
competitive conference tournament in Norfolk, Virginia. The tidewater
area has seen its fair share of exciting MEAC tourney moments over
the years, and this year’s edition of the event looks to etch its own
legacy among HBCU Hoops fans. HBCU Hoops Weekly takes a look
at some of the players, teams, and storylines that look to make that look to make the 2023-24 tourney a memorable one.
Players to Watch:
The conference has had a huge influx of talent grace its doors over
the past few seasons. There may not be any bigger newcomer to the
league than UNCW transfer (and frontrunner for MEAC Newcomer
and POTY), Norfolk State’s Jamarii Thomas. Along with returning
standout Christian Ings and Rider transfer guard Allen Bertrand, they
form arguably the most complete and potent backcourt rotation in the
conference. Along with a deep overall bench, they’ve been the engine
for Head Coach Robert Jones’ Spartans run to the regular season
crown, and what looks to be the #1 seed in the tournament. The
Eagles of North Carolina Central University were in the mix for the
regular season title to the wire. They have a potent guard rotation of
their own, highlighted with their own contender for MEAC player of the
year in mercurial PG Fred Cleveland Jr. The Senior guard from
Chicago, Illinois may be small in stature, but he impacts the game in a
myriad of ways for Head Coach LeVelle Moton, averaging 15.4 points
a game and an eye-popping 5 assists per game. As high impact as
Cleveland’s been for the Eagles’ offensive attack, there may not be a
more important piece for NCCU’s on-court fortunes than G/F Po’Boigh
King. His ability to knock down the 3-point shot adds a level of
versatility to NCCU’s halfcourt offense that’s hard to stop.
Last year’s regular season champion Howard University may have lost
a bit of firepower in the transfer portal, but they were still right in the
mix for the regular season crown. A huge reason for that competitive
drive rests with the trio of Marcus Dockery, Bryce Harris, and former Ivy League player of the year Seth Towns.
They’ve been offensive
constants for the Bison all season, providing an effective balance
that’s been hard for MEAC defenses to deal with. That balance keeps
them a viable threat to repeat as tourney champs. The South Carolina
State Bulldogs may be the most enigmatic (and the most dangerous)
squad in the conference right now. They’re also in the mix for regular
season glory and it’s truly been a team effort, with no starter averaging
over double figures. What they DO have, are big athletes, particularly
at the guard positions. Guards Omar Croskey and Mitchell Taylor are
representative of the athleticism and versatility that dots the Bulldog
lineup these days. It’s been a formula that has them in the hunt to
finish in the top half of the MEAC, and looming as a truly scary
adversary when the tournament brackets are revealed. The Hornets of
Delaware State University have a potent offensive trio of their own in
guards Martaz Robinson, Jevin Muniz and Deywilk Tavarez. As good
as those guards are, the performance of the DSU big men, specifically
Raymond Sommerville, could be pivotal to Hornet fortunes next week.
Speaking of great post play, UM-Eastern Shore has arguably the best
traditional post player in the MEAC in Troy Hupstead. He’s been the
centerpiece for the Hawks’s defensive and offensive fortunes this season.
Teams To Watch:
As the tournament rolls around next week, Norfolk State looks to carry
the momentum from an impending regular season title and translate it
into a MEAC title run and, by proxy, a return to the promised land that
is the NCAA tournament. That’s not to say that the road to a potential
return to MEAC tournament glory is going to be easy. North Carolina
Central, defending tournament champion Howard University, and an
increasingly dangerous South Carolina State squad loom on the
horizon as the primary obstacles to a Spartan return to the MEAC
tournament mountain top. There are some x-factors to also consider.
Can Delaware State return to the form they had earlier in the
conference slate during the tournament? Will the defensive prowess of
tough-as-nails UM-Eastern Shore prove to be upset material for one of
the favorites? Will we see a talented but enigmatic Morgan State
squad, that’s shown flashes at times this year, finally put it all together
for a run in the tournament?
There are a ton of possible outcomes, but one thing is certain;
Tournament basketball is a completely different animal than the
gradual grind of the regular season. A stand out performance here; A
coaching adjustment there, can mean the difference between
advancing to see another game, and hitting the couch for another
off-season. It’s almost a mathematical certainty that Norfolk State will
the end of the regular season slate rapidly approaching. Still a good
deal of time for stand out players to make their impact on how the bracket sorts out next week in the seven cities.
All in all, it’s shaping up to be a MEAC tournament for the ages. If you
have the time and means to visit Norfolk, Virginia next week, take
advantage of the atmosphere and the spectacle that is the MEAC
basketball tournament.
Tune in to the HBCU Hoops Weekly Show on Sundays at 8pm EST., exclusively on the HBCU Nightly Network
family of digital media and social media outlets. Stay tuned for the
HBCU Hoops Weekly SWAC Men’s 2024 tournament preview! Be
sure to follow myself (@hhlseward3), Liv Antilla (@livforhoops), and
Melvin Brown (@hbcupass) for up-to-date HBCU Hoops content!
Herbert L. Seward III
Host - HBCU Hoops Weekly
Contributor - Busting Brackets/FanSided
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