A spot in the First Four in Dayton is on the line Saturday, as two unexpected participants in the MEAC championship game face off as the No. 6 Delaware State Hornets face the No. 4 Howard Bison from The Scope in Norfolk, Virginia.
Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m. ET, and the game will air on ESPN2.
Delaware State: 15-17 (6-8 MEAC), 309 NET, 291 KenPom
The Hornets struggled on the road this season in league play, going just 2-5 away from the friendly confines of Memorial Hall in Dover. But a neutral court seems to suit them quite well, as they forced 23 turnovers against No. 3 South Carolina State en route to a 71-58 win, and then beat No. 2 North Carolina Central by that exact same score via 18 created miscues.
Located right across the street from the Dover Downs NASCAR track, the Hornets haven’t participated in the NCAA Tournament since 2005 under then head coach Greg Jackson.
Get up, Del State. Del State get up.
Howard: 17-16 (9-5 MEAC), 278 NET, 278 KenPom
The Bison were the MEAC’s representative last year, and head coach Kenny Blakeney is back with a squad that shoots 37.7% from three-point range, good enough for 14th in the country.
Howard has won eight of their last 10, including a season sweep over the Hornets in conference play. But their win yesterday over No. 1 Norfolk State was a true stunner. Trailing by six at halftime, the Bison shot 11-21 from three-point range that included scoring 11 more points than the top-seeded Spartans in the last 10 minutes.
How to watch the MEAC Tournament Championship Game
When: Saturday, March 16, 1 p.m. ET
Where: Norfolk Scope Arena (Norfolk, Virginia)
TV: ESPN2
Livestream: WatchESPN.com, ESPN App
Odds for MEAC Tournament Championship Game from DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: Howard -2.5
Moneyline: Howard -135, Del State +114
Total: 139
The Pick: Under 139
Styles make fights, and they make scoring binges too. The Bison are terrible defensively even by MEAC standards at 333rd in KenPom adjusted defense, but that pairs nicely with Del State’s horrendous 335th in KenPom adjust offense. But Del State has shown they can force turnovers and get stops, even if they fail to do much once they have the ball.
After three intense days at The Scope, expect an ugly game that someone has to win late. But the first to 50 points likely that winner.