Updated March 14, 2026
The MEAC championship game on Saturday brings high stakes as North Carolina Central and Howard battle for the conference title and an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. Howard enters the contest as the regular season champion and the top seed after a strong run through conference play. North Carolina Central arrives with confidence after surviving a tough overtime battle in the tournament and leaning on one of the league’s most disciplined defensive groups. These teams are familiar with each other, but only one team will advancee past this North Carolina Central vs Howard matchup to get to the NCAA Tournament.
Howard enters the MEAC title game with the most consistent season in the conference. The Bison finished the regular season 20-10 overall and 11-3 in conference play, securing the No. 1 seed in the tournament. Their balanced scoring attack and efficient shooting have made them the most productive offense in the league, averaging more than 75 points per game.
North Carolina Central finished third in the conference standings and has relied guard play. The Eagles have consistently forced turnovers, which often leads to transition scoring. They advanced in the tournament after an 83-76 overtime victory against Maryland Eastern Shore, showing composure late in a close contest, which they followed up with a win over Delaware State, where they held the Eagles to just 53 points.
Howard Bison
North Carolina Central Eagles
Stat | North Carolina Central | Howard |
|---|---|---|
Points per game | 72.1 | 75.6 |
Points allowed per game | 75.6 | 67.9 |
Team Field Goal % | 44% | 46% |
Rebounds Per Game | 31.5 | 36.5 |
Assists Per Game | 13.8 | 16.4 |
Howard enters the championship game with the more efficient offense, stronger rebounding numbers, and the conference’s top regular-season record. The Bison also have multiple scoring options, led by Bryce Harris and Cedric Taylor III, which makes them difficult to defend for 40 minutes.
But I think that North Carolina Central has enough guard talent to stay competitive, especially with Gage Lattimore creating offense and Dionte Johnson controlling the pace. The MEAC title game is typically more competitive than the point spread is implying this one will be. I'll take all of those points with NC Central on Saturday afternoon.
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