DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University men's basketball team will open postseason play against the University of Maryland Eastern Shore at the 2024 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, March 13. NCCU plays the last game of the evening at 8 p.m. as the Eagles hold the No.2 seed while UMES is No.7 in the bracket. All games will be played in Norfolk, Va. at the Scope Arena.
Full Game Notes: Game 30 vs Maryland Eastern Shore, MEAC Quarters
Week 19 at 2024 MEAC Basketball Tournament
2023-24 Postseason
No.2 North Carolina Central (17-12, 9-5 MEAC)
vs
No.7 UMES (9-19, 4-10 MEAC) - Quarterfinals
Wednesday, March 13, 2024 – Approx. 8:00 p.m.
Norfolk Scope Arena – Norfolk, Va.
Watch: ESPN+
Tickets: Purchase HERE
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Following games pending team advances
Friday, March 15 at Approx. 8 p.m. – Semifinals
Saturday, March 16 at 1 p.m. – Championship Game
2024 MEAC Basketball Tournament
BRACKET | WEBSITE | TICKETS
NC CENTRAL – No.2 Seed
With the second seed on the line in NCCU's final regular season game, the Eagles defeated South Carolina State University 79-68 on March 7. Junior Keishon Porter scored a season-high 37 points in the victory over the Bulldogs.
Porter's point total last week makes him the third 30-point scorer of the season for the Eagles as senior Fred Cleveland Jr. (30 points) and sophomore Po'Boigh King (34 points) both hit the mark.
Cleveland was crowned the final MEAC Offensive Player of the Week of the season on March 6. He is the only men's player to win the award three times this season.
Cleveland currently leads the team in scoring (15.1 ppg) and assist average (5.4 apg – 1st in MEAC). Redshirt senior Emmanuel Izunabor leads the Eagles in rebounding average (5.6 rpg) and the conference in blocks per game (1.3).
NC Central is currently first in the MEAC in points per game (76.9), scoring margin (+8.4), and field goal percentage (45.9 percent). The Eagles are also atop the league in opposing three-point field goal percentage and are second in the nation in the same category (28.1 percent). NCCU is also 12th in the country in fastbreak points (15.10 per game).
The last time the Eagles won it all at the MEAC Tournament was in 2019 as a three-seed beating one-seeded Norfolk State 50-47. NCCU has won both the conference championship and the regular season title four times each.
MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE – No.7 Seed
Maryland Eastern Shore ended the regular season with a 67-59 victory over Delaware State University. Sophomores Kelechi Okworogwo and Toby Nnadozie each had 17 points for the Hawks. UMES' leading scorer Troy Hupstead did not play.
Wednesday will be the first time the Hawks will play at a neutral site this season. NCCU is 0-1 playing in a neutral environment this year after falling to The Citadel at the Campbell Creek Classic on Nov. 21.
NC Central swept the regular season series against UMES. On Jan. 27 the Eagles defeated the Hawks 65-57 in Princess Anne, Md. and also won 88-55 at home against UMES. NCCU leads the series 22-3.
The only time UMES has won the MEAC Basketball Tournament was in 1974 winning 77-62 over Morgan State University at the Baltimore Civic Center. They were also regular season champions that year in the conference.
REMAINING SEEDS
No.1 Norfolk State (21-10, 11-3 MEAC) plays the first game for the men's bracket against No.8 Coppin State University (2-26, 1-13 MEAC) on Wednesday, March 13 at 6 p.m.
No.3 South Carolina State (14-17, 9-5 MEAC) faces No.6 Delaware State (13-17, 6-8 MEAC) on Thursday, March 14 at 8 p.m. The winner of this game faces the winner of NCCU versus UMES on Friday, March 15 at 8 p.m.
No.4 Howard University (15-16, 9-5 MEAC) will battle No.5 Morgan State (11-19, 7-7 MEAC) on Thursday, March 14 at 6 p.m. Both teams claimed a victory against each other this season.
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.
