2026 MEAC Men's Basketball Championship Preview and Pick: NCCU vs. Howard

The 2026 MEAC Men's Basketball Tournament Championship is set to close on the biggest possible stage. The top-seeded Bison and third-seeded Eagles both had to work harder than expected to reach the championship game.

Howard dispatched No. 5 seed South Carolina State 78-61, while NC Central held off No. 7 Delaware State 59-53 in the semifinals. Now the two best teams in the conference are set for a winner-take-all showdown with an NCAA Tournament bid on the line.

Game Info: Saturday, March 14 | 1 p.m. ET | Scope Arena, Norfolk, Va. | ESPN2

MEAC MEN'S MATCHUP — MEAC MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHUP | HBCU LEGENDS

THE ROAD HERE

Howard (22-10): The Bison jumped out to a 38-24 halftime advantage over South Carolina State before surviving a 17-5 second-half run by the Bulldogs that pulled them within two points. Howard steadied itself and closed the game on a 35-20 run to return to the championship game after a one-year absence.

NC Central (14-17): The Eagles survived a scare of their own. Delaware State took an early 12-8 lead before NCCU used a dominant 24-9 run to close the first half. The Hornets kept it close throughout the second half; a Jalen St. Clair layup with 1:39 left pulled Delaware State within one possession at 52-51, but DSU could manage only two more points the rest of the way, sending the Eagles to the title game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Howard — Cam Gillus, G, Jr.: The 5-foot-11 point guard out of Falls Church, Va., is the engine that drives the Bison. Gillus led all scorers in the semifinal with 25 points, converting 14 of 18 free throw attempts, and added eight rebounds. He was joined in double figures by a balanced supporting cast — Cedric Taylor III (16 points), Ose Okojie (11 points), and Travelle Bryson (10 points).

Howard — Bryce Harris, G, Grad: The veteran guard is a multi-dimensional threat who has been one of Howard's most consistent contributors all season. His ability to score, rebound, and defend makes him one of the toughest matchups in the MEAC.

NC Central — Gage Lattimore, G, Sr: The Corona, Calif. native is the Eagles' offensive engine and the most dangerous scorer in this matchup. In NCCU's quarterfinal win over Maryland-Eastern Shore, forward Gardner Lattimore added 18 points and eight rebounds in a gutsy performance. Gage Lattimore's shooting touch — particularly from three — will be the single biggest factor in whether NCCU can pull the upset.

NC Central — Dionte Johnson, G, Sr: Johnson leads the Eagles in assists and steals, and his role as point guard will be critical. If he can find teammates for easy shots while adding his own offense, NCCU has a real shot. He's the kind of lead guard who raises his level in moments like these.

THE STORYLINE: SWEEP MEETS REVENGE

NC Central dropped both regular-season meetings with Howard and will look to break that trend on Saturday. That sweep gives the Bison a definitive psychological edge — but it also means NCCU has watched enough film to know exactly what they're up against. Tournament basketball has a way of leveling the playing field.

Howard is looking to win its third title in the last four seasons, which would cement this era of Bison basketball as one of the most dominant stretches in MEAC history. NC Central's last championship appearance came in 2019, when the Eagles won their fourth MEAC title and completed a three-peat. The hunger to recapture that legacy is real in Durham.

THE EDGE

Howard holds all the advantages on paper — the better record, the No. 1 seed, regular-season dominance over NCCU, and a deeper, more battle-tested rotation heading into this game. The Bison's ability to get to the free-throw line (Gillus alone went 14-for-18 in the semifinal) and their defensive pressure give Coach Blakeney's squad a clear path to the NCAA Tournament.

For NCCU to win, Gage Lattimore has to be in attack mode from the jump, and Dionte Johnson must protect the ball against Howard's relentless pressure. Johnson leads the Eagles in steals, which means he understands disruptive defense — now he has to defend against it at the highest level.

THE PICK

Howard is the right pick here, but don't sleep on the Eagles and Coach Levelle Moton. This is a tournament championship — and NC Central has been in this building before.