DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central men's basketball wraps up the regular season by hosting South Carolina State on Thursday, March 5, at 5 p.m. in McDougald-McLendon Arena. The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU. The Eagles look to close the regular season on a three-game winning streak before returning to Scope Arena for the 2026 MEAC Basketball Tournament.
Game 29:
NCCU (12-16, 8-5 MEAC)
vs South Carolina State (8-21, 6-7 MEAC)
Thursday, March 5, 2026 – 5:00 p.m.
McDougald-McLendon Arena – Durham, N.C.
ESPNU | Live Stats | Tickets
Series History: NC Central leads the all-time series, 38-26, over South Carolina State. However, the Eagles have dropped the last three meetings against the Bulldogs, with two losses in Orangeburg, S.C., and another in last year's MEAC Basketball Tournament semifinals. In the most recent matchup, SCSU earned an 85-72 win in mid-February.
Scouting South Carolina State: SCSU split its trip to Maryland Eastern Shore and Delaware State this past weekend. The Bulldogs fell 69-57 at UMES before defeating DSU, 61-59. Since beating the Eagles, South Carolina State has gone 1-3. Jayden Johnson and Owen Bronston Jr. lead the Bulldogs in scoring at 13.1 and 10.6 points per game, respectively. Cameron Clark and Chris Parker anchor the boards for SCSU, as both average 5.0 rebounds or more per game. The Bulldogs currently sit fifth in the MEAC standings, two games behind the Eagles.
Last Time Out: North Carolina Central is coming off two road wins after previously dropping two straight away from home. The Eagles defeated Delaware State, 74-60, and Maryland Eastern Shore, 77-73. Kyric Davis (15 points) and Kelechi Okworogwo (15 points, 10 rebounds) helped NC Central secure the win at DSU, while Gage Lattimore's 23 points sparked a comeback against UMES.
Seeding Scenarios: With one game remaining for all eight MEAC teams, NCCU is currently tied for third place with Norfolk State. Howard can claim the outright regular-season championship with a win over Norfolk State, while Morgan State sits one game back and could tie for the title with a Bears win and a Bison loss. The outcomes of the Spartans' and Eagles' final games will likely determine the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds for the MEAC Tournament.
MEAC Regular Season Recap: The Eagles have remained steady in the standings, competing in the top half of the conference throughout MEAC play. At one point, NCCU held first place before battling health issues and winter weather–related schedule changes. The only team to sweep NC Central this season was Howard. The Eagles recorded season sweeps of Morgan State, Maryland Eastern Shore and Delaware State.
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com.
