MEAC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:
- Howard
- Morgan State
- Norfolk State
- NC Central
- South Carolina State
- Delaware State (tied 6th)
- Coppin State (tied 6th)
- UMES
MEAC PRESEASON WATCH LIST:
-Brendan Johnson – JR, G – Coppin State
-Tafara Gapare – SR, F – Coppin State
-Nehemiah Reedus – SR, F – Delaware State
-Rahmir Moore – SR, G – Delaware State
-Cam Gillus – SR, G – Howard
-Cedric Taylor III – SR, G – Howard
-Levi Beckwith – SO, F – UMES
-Saadiq Moore – JR, G – UMES
-Alfred Worrell Jr. – SR, G – Morgan State
-Keith Richard – JR, G – Morgan State
-Bahsil Laster – JR, G – Norfolk State
-Jordan Skyers – FR, G – Norfolk State
-Ryan Archey – SR, G – NC Central
-Maurice Vassel – JR, F – NC Central
-Mitchell Taylor – JR, G – South Carolina State
-Noah Treadwell – SO, G – South Carolina State
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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:
-Howard was the dominant team in this league a year ago going 11-3 in MEAC play, finishing in 1st place, and then winning the conference tournament to advance to the NCAAs. They return four starters and that cohesion/experience should help them out again this year. Cedric Taylor is one of the better players in the conference and Cam Gillus was a double-digit scorer and a good outside shooter. Ose Okojie also returns to the lineup and they add some pretty good transfers as well. I like their experience, depth, and talent, and I do not think anyone else in the MEAC can stay with them.
-Morgan State finished just one game behind Howard last year, but all five of their starters have moved on and they are having to rebuild their roster with guys with limited D-1 experience and playing time and guys from outside of D-1.
-Norfolk State kind of struggled last year, winning just 15 total games after winning more than 20 in each of the previous four seasons, but I think they will bounce back this year. Robert Jones is a solid coach, they have two key starters back including Anthony McComb (who was the conference player of the year) and Elijah Jamison (another productive scorer). I do not like them quite as much as Howard, but I do think they can have a big year and finish 2nd.
-NC Central is having to replace their entire roster after a 3rd-place finish last year. They did pick up some guys with D-1 experience but it is very limited. They will be relying on some guys that were solid at the D-2 and JUCO levels to step up this year.
-South Carolina State won just 10 total games last year and has just one starter back. Noah Treadwell is a player to watch and they appear to have a solid freshman in Clayton Everett, but most of the roster is lacking in proven D-1 experience.
-Delaware State won just two conference games last year and finsihed 362nd in the NET. That is…not good. They do pick up several guys who put up big numbers in D-2 programs last year and we should see a few more wins this year if those guys can step up.
-It has been a long and frustrating run of really bad basketball for Coppin State. They have failed to win ten games in 11 of the last 12 seasons and expectations are not high this year. When you start going down the roster there just is not much there.
-UMES went 5-9 in MEAC play last year, which is not good but it is also far from the worst. Just one starter is back and they are picked to finish last because they just do not appear to have much in the way of D-1 talent and experience.
