With HBCUs getting more national attention in the press and on the recruiting trail, conferences like the MEAC have reaped its benefits. Entering the 2022-23 season, the conference is arguably the deepest and talented it has been in recent memory.
Despite its depth, the potential for parity is hard to fathom with a clear top tier of talent and coaching led by Norfolk State, North Carolina Central and Howard to battle it out for the MEAC title.
The Frontrunner: Norfolk State
Winners of the MEAC in each of the last two seasons, head coach Robert Jones was awarded a one-year extension that keeps him at Norfolk State through the 2028-29.
What makes the Spartans the no-brainer pick to three-peat? TWELVE of their rotation pieces return led by MEAC Player of the Year Joe Bryant, who led the Spartans in scoring (16.8), assists (3.3), steals (1.5), minutes played (31.8) and all free-throw categories (112 free throws made at 91.8 ft%).
Opting into his extra year of eligibility (along with starters Kris Banston and Dana Tate), Joe Bryant enters the season eighth all-time in points scored (1179), though a healthy distance away from all-time leader Tony Murphy (1815 points scored). At 6’1 205, Bryant is a mismatch nightmare in the MEAC, overpowering smaller guards and with enough athleticism to guard most guards efficiently.
While Bryant is the heart and soul of the Spartans, their strength lies in their depth: 6’8 230 fifth-year senior Kris Bankston is a physical, two-way forward; the smooth-shooting 6’7 220 fifth-year senior Dana Tate crashes the boards well; 6’2 180 senior point guard Christian Ings provides efficient secondary scoring and good vision; 6’6 185 senior wing Daryl Anderson is a defensive menace.
Menacing defense is also a way of Norfolk State: in the last three seasons, the Spartans have ranked within the top-80 in effective opponent field goal percentage, ranking 24th last season with equal effectiveness making shots difficult inside and outside the perimeter.
College basketball rosters are more tenuous than ever, so Norfolk State’s talent and continuity make them the clear favorite in the MEAC.
The Challenger: North Carolina Central
No one has meant more to North Carolina Central’s mens’ basketball program than LeVelle Moton. Among NCCU’s all-time leaders, Moton ranks third in scoring (1,714 points) and fifth in assists (278), finishing his playing career with an 80-28 record and an NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional Championship title in 1993.
As head coach, Moton has led the Eagles to four NCAA tournaments in the last nine seasons. With five returning fifth year seniors returning for their extra year of eligibility, Moton is eager to take the MEAC crown away from Norfolk State.
Known for his deep rotations of a dozen players deep, offenses that crash the boards and defenses that generate steals, NCCU’s strength this season lies in their deep, veteran backcourt led by junior Justin Wright and fifth-year returnee Eric Boone.
Playing a minimal role as a freshman, Justin Wright earned an All-MEAC First Team selection thanks to his three-level scoring (13.7 ppg, 52.2 2p%, 40.7 3p%, 73.8 ft% with 4.5 ftas per game) and committed defense (1.4 steals per game, fourth best DBPR on the team). Eric Boone is arguably the most feared defender in the MEAC (2.4 steals per game, 4th highest steal rate in the nation, 4.7%) and second highest DBPR on the team) and a willing distributor (3.6 assists per game).
The Eagles’ frontcourt’s best returnee is former Providence Friar Kris Monroe whose smooth shooting (58.0 2p%, 1.5 threes made per game at 36.7%) and skills on the boards (6.0 rebounds per game, top-fifteen offensive and defensive rebounding rates in the conference), while the five spot will be filled by two incoming transfers: McNeese State’s Brendan Medley-Bacon and Pittsburgh’s Daniel Oladapo
The 7’1 245 Medley-Bacon is a surprisingly efficient big man (54.6 fg%, 71.1 ft%), while expectedly solid on the boards (offensive and defensive rebounding rates ranked within the top eight in the Southland) and a strong rim protector (5.5% block rate is 132nd highest in the nation last season).
The 6’7 220 Oladapo is an efficient interior scorer (career 57.2 2p%) and is an excellent rebounder for his size (ranked in the top-ten offensive and defensive rebounding in both of his seasons in the Horizon). Considering Oladapo’s inability to stretch the floor, the pair of grad transfers will likely not share the floor together, but will make for an excellent one-two punch at the 5.
Part of Moton’s success is his ability to handle regular roster turnover, quickly recruit impact pieces and coaching them up to his system. However, with three starters and seven rotation pieces returning, Moton and his staff have a wealth of returning talent and depth bolstered by a talented transfer class to challenge Norfolk State for the MEAC title.
The Underdog: Howard
The Howard Bison have not won the MEAC in thirty years.
The Bison have a 21-46 record over the last three seasons.
Why are the Bison considered the top underdog to win the MEAC? Head coach Kenneth Blakeney.
Being a part of seven different coaching staffs since 1995, Blakeney has earned high marks for his first coaching gig entering his fourth season at Howard. After securing five-star recruit Makur Maker and Sierra Canyon grad Shy Odom (the two highest ranked recruits in program history), Blakeney was first lauded for his recruiting prowess, but after Howard’s hard fought three-point loss against Notre Dame on national television, Blakeney showed the world that he’s a heck of a coach.
With last season’s leading scorer Kyle Foster graduating, this year’s roster will be led by former Dematha Catholic teammates Steve Settle III and Elijah Hawkins.
Starting nearly game last year as a freshman, the 5’11 160 Hawkins finished the season with top-50 national rankings in assist rate (37.6%, 13th in the nation) and steal rate (4.0%, 41st in the nation) while ranking in the top-ten in the MEAC in fouls drawn (third), free throw rate (eighth) and free throw percentage (eighth). To take the next step in his development, improvement in his shooting (29.7 3p%) and ball control (4.0 turnovers per game) need to improve, but Hawkins is one of the most electric point guards in the nation.
6’10 175 junior forward Steve Settle III is a three-level scorer (13.8 ppg, 54.7 2p%, 35.3 3p%, 76.7 ft%) whose length and athleticism allows him to protect the rim, hit the boards, switch and defend multiple positions.
In addition to Settle III, Howard’s frontcourt is deep, balanced and allows Blakeney his best opportunity in his coaching tenure to play five-out sets, allowing space to open the floor for Hawkins.
6’9 200 junior Jordan Wood is the frontcourt’s second best returnee whose stretch ability (31.9 3p%) and defensive versatility (second best DBPR on last year’s roster) will help earn him minutes at the backup 4 and 5 spots.
One of the top options to start next to Settle III is Jacksonville transfer Dontarius James. The 6’8 225 former three-star recruit played sparingly in his first two seasons at Xavier before becoming Jacksonville’s best scorer and outside shooter, averaging 17.5 points and 2.5 threes per game at 36.4%.
Kobe Dickson, a 6’9 235 senior transfer from Cornell, is a versatile forward coming in from a similarly high-paced offensive system and is James’ top competition for a starting spot in the frontcourt.
Known last year as one of the better passing bigs in the Ivy (2.7 assists per game, fifth highest assist rate in the Ivy), Dickson is a capable rebounder (top twelve in both offensive and defensive rebounding rate), a stout rim protector (5.0% block rate ranked 155th nationally) and an efficient enough shooter to demand attention beyond the arc (career 54.4 2p%, 32.0 3p%).
The least talked about frontcourt addition is UNLV transfer Reece Brown, whose profile meshes well with Howard’s versatile, athletic and stretchable bigs. The 6’9 200 Brown did not make an impact in his first two seasons in Vegas, but he was a sought after prospect in high school, earning seventeen D1 offers including Wisconsin, Georgetown, Rutgers, Saint Louis and Richmond.
Howard’s backcourt was also heavily fortified thanks to the transfer portal with both additions capable of earning a starting role from day one. The most anticipated addition is Penn grad transfer Jelani Williams. After three torn ACLs and a missed season due to Covid-19, Williams missed his first four seasons of college basketball, making his debut as a senior last season.
The 6’5 200 D.C. native was hands-down the Quakers’ best defensive player and has good positional rebounding, passing and vision, comfortably making an impact without needing to score. Williams should slot in as the team’s starting 3 guard and could earn a reputation as the MEAC’s best glue guy.
The best bet to start alongside Hawkins is another D.C. native, Maryland junior transfer Marcus Dockery. The former three-star recruit played just 86 minutes in two seasons for the Terps, but at Brewster Academy he was known as a shot maker with a smooth lefty stroke that could make him Howard’s best catch-and-shoot option next season.
While it will be hard to surpass the veteran talent of Norfolk State and North Carolina Central, Howard is a formidable candidate in the MEAC and helps the conference be its deepest and most competitive in years.
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