CBB Review hands out awards for each conference tournament in 2024. Up next: The MEAC Tournament.
In a tournament that was ready to have its top teams move to make some noise, it was Howard who decided to upset the ebb and flow of the conference. The Bison played Georgia Tech and Cincinnati close, with their best non-conference win coming against LaSalle on Dec. 30. Bryce Harris, who I’ll talk about in a minute, led Howard in field goal percentage and offensive rebounds.
When doing the MEAC Tournament Preview last week, I had the finals being between NC Central and Norfolk State. The match-up was close as predicted, with Howard converting 73.9% of their free throws. Howard won despite giving up 40 points in the paint and 34 points off the bench.
CBB Review MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player
Bryce Harris, Howard
The junior guard came into the tournament averaging 16.5 PPG and 7.7 RPG. Harris was a blocking machine in the MEAC Tournament finale against Delaware State, blocking a season-high four shots. In fact, in the opening matchup against Morgan State, he set a career-high by dropping 28 points.
The marketing major really knew how to make people notice the Bison. With no one paying attention to a team going into tournament play with a 15-16 record, the Brentwood, N.Y. native wanted to make a splash. He did most of his damage in the second half of each game.
CBB Review All-MEAC Tournament First Team
- G: Bryce Harris, Howard – 3 GP (20.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 3.0 BPG, 1.0 SPG)
- G: Deywilk Tavarez, Delaware State – 3 GP (19.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.7 SPG)
- G: Martaz Robinson, Delaware State – 3 GP (16.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.0 APG)
- G: Fred Cleveland Jr., NC Central – 2 GP (17.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 46.7 3P%)
- G: Marcus Dockery, Howard – 3 GP (15.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.3 APG, 56.3 3P%, 52.0 FG%)
Howard’s NCAA Tournament Prediction
Round of 64
The last time a team representing the MEAC made it out of the first round was Norfolk State in 2012. It’s only happened three times since the MEAC’s first appearance in the tournament in 1981.
Due to the top two seeds falling in the semifinals, Howard was relegated to the First Four. The Bison will have a tough fight against Wagner in the first game of the tournament. It’s certainly a winnable game, but Howard will rely on their three-point shooting, ranking 17th in the country at 37.6%, to get into the Round of 64.
[…] course, at just 16-15 overall, Wagner got a 16 seed and will play in Tuesday’s play-in with Howard, who won the MEAC. Still, the Seahawks enter the NCAA Tournament playing well and have a coach in Donald Copeland […]