Former Duke Basketball Guards Orchestrate Huge Feat for Howard

Kenny Blakeney, a four-year Duke basketball reserve guard in the early 1990s and one-time national champion, is now in his fifth season as head coach at Howard. And for the first time in program history, the Bison are set to make a second straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament following their MEAC title on Saturday.

Howard, boasting another former four-year Duke basketball backcourt talent in 2014 Blue Devil grad and fifth-year assistant Tyler Thornton, defeated Delaware State, 70-67, in the championship game.

Shoutout to Howard for winning the MEAC tournament!

Kenny Blakeney- Head Coach

Tyler Thornton- Assistant Coach/Director of Player Development pic.twitter.com/beJQMh5X4S
— Blue Devils (@BlueDevils) March 17, 2024

The Bison, who were 9-5 in MEAC regular-season play and finished in a tie with NC Central and South Carolina State at No. 2 in the conference standings, enter Selection Sunday with an 18-16 overall record. They're likely to be a No. 16 seed, same as last year when they fell to No. 1 seed Kansas, 96-68.

When Kenny Blakeney, now 62-75 overall, assumed the reins at Howard, the program hadn't been part of March Madness since 1992, his freshman year at Duke. While his Bison tenure had a rough start, to the tune of five wins between his first two seasons at the helm, the 52-year-old has now clinched a third consecutive winning record.

Making a mark: Coach Kenneth Blakeney and his Howard Bisons are in the NCAA Tournament for back to back years but for just the 4th time in program history. He and his squad are seeking their first Tournament win ever…@PoopeeBlakeney @HUMensBB #howard #marchmadness #tournament pic.twitter.com/9N17azYOeH
— globalkidmedia (@globalkidmedia) March 17, 2024

Blakeney, Thornton, and the upstart Bison find out their NCAA Tournament destination when the Selection Show airs on CBS at 6 p.m. ET Sunday. Howard didn't win a game in any of its previous three trips to the Big Dance.

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Horrible Sign for Duke's Chances in NCAA Tournament

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