New MEAC Champion Crowned as South Carolina State Ends Norfolk State's Title Reign

The MEAC will crown a new men's basketball champion this year after No. 5 seed South Carolina State upset defending champion Norfolk State 88-82 in Thursday's quarterfinal action, ending the Spartans' impressive two-year reign atop the conference.

Jayden Johnson delivered a spectacular performance, pouring in 28 points to lead the Bulldogs to a wire-to-wire victory that served as sweet redemption for last season's heartbreaking 66-65 loss in the conference championship game.

The Bulldogs (10-21) controlled the tempo throughout, building a 39-30 halftime advantage before extending their lead in the second half.

South Carolina State received balanced offensive contributions, with four players reaching double figures:

• Jayden Johnson: 28 points
• Florian Tenebay: 13 points
• James Morrow: 11 points
• Noah Treadwell: 10 points

The Bulldogs now advance to face top-seeded Howard in Friday's semifinal at 6 p.m., setting up a clash between two programs hungry for conference supremacy.

NC Central Survives Overtime Thriller

In the evening's second quarterfinal, No. 3 seed North Carolina Central needed overtime to escape No. 6 Maryland Eastern Shore 83-76 in a dramatic finish.

The Fighting Hawks (9-23) appeared headed for an upset when Dorion Staples drilled an NBA-range three-pointer from the right wing with just .9 seconds remaining to tie the score at 74-74, forcing the extra period.

However, the Eagles (13-17) seized control in overtime as Jae Slack's three-pointer gave North Carolina Central the lead for good. The Eagles' defense clamped down, limiting Maryland Eastern Shore to just two points in the overtime frame.

Point guard Dionte Johnson orchestrated an outstanding performance for Central, finishing with a game-high 26 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and a perfect 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. Gage Lattimore contributed 18 points, while Slack added 14 before fouling out.

North Carolina Central advances to face 7th-seeded Delaware State in Friday night's second semifinal at 8 p.m., as the MEAC Tournament continues its march toward crowning a new champion.

Originally reported by HBCU Sports.