Howard and North Carolina Central Advance to MEAC Championship Showdown

The stage is set for an exciting MEAC championship finale as Howard University and North Carolina Central University punched their tickets to the tournament title game with hard-fought semifinal victories on Saturday.

Top-seeded Howard (22-10) pulled away from No. 5 seed South Carolina State 78-61, while third-seeded North Carolina Central (14-17) held off a determined No. 7 Delaware State squad 59-53 in a tense defensive battle.

Bison Survive Second-Half Scare

The Bison appeared to be cruising after building a comfortable 38-24 halftime lead against South Carolina State. However, the Bulldogs (10-22) came out firing in the second half, launching a 17-5 run sparked by three three-pointers from Noah Treadwell that pulled them within two points at 43-41.

Howard regrouped and closed strong, outscoring the Bulldogs 35-20 the rest of the way to secure their championship berth. Point guard Cam Gillus led all scorers with an impressive 25 points, converting 14 of 18 free throw attempts while adding eight rebounds.

Eagles Withstand Late Delaware State Push

In the nightcap, North Carolina Central overcame an early 12-8 deficit to Delaware State by dominating the remainder of the first half, outscoring the Hornets 24-9 to take control.

The Eagles maintained their lead throughout the second half, but Delaware State (8-23) refused to go away quietly. A Jalen St. Clair layup with 1:39 remaining pulled the Hornets within one point at 52-51, setting up a dramatic finish.

NCCU's clutch play down the stretch sealed the victory, as Delaware State managed just two more points. A Kyric Davis layup followed by two free throws each from Jae Slack and Gage Lattimore put the game out of reach.

Davis delivered a masterful performance, leading all scorers with 23 points while shooting a perfect 11-for-11 from the field. Kelechi Okworogwo contributed 15 points for the Eagles.

The championship game will determine which HBCU earns the MEAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, giving one of these proud institutions a chance to shine on college basketball's biggest stage.

Originally reported by HBCU Sports.