MEAC
Home underdogs went 24-14-2 against the spread last season in a conference that has been a 14 seed or worse in every year since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams for the 1985 tournament.
With coach Cleo Hill being hired in June, Maryland-Eastern Shore has to replace every player that logged a point last season in a conference in which every team was 157th or worse in points scored on a per possession basis, but all but one team was 233rd or better in points allowed on a per possession basis.
Morgan State brings back all of its top four scorers from last season after being the worst team in the conference in points allowed on a per possession basis, but the team has gone .500 or better in conference play each of the past five seasons.
In 26 seasons playing MEAC conference play, Norfolk State has never been below .500 in conference play and has been .500 or better in 11 of the past 12 seasons. The Spartans’ 36-2 straight-up record in home games the past three seasons is the second-best in the country in terms of home winning percentage.
The conference has been represented by Howard in each of the past two NCAA Tournaments and the Bison return their top two players in total points scored from last season
After eight straight seasons of 10 wins or fewer, Delaware State broke out for a 15-18 record last season and top scorer Martez Robinson is back.
South Carolina State went 9-5 in MEAC action last season, just its second time in the past 14 seasons having a record above .500 in conference play.
After ranking 361st out of 362 Division I teams in points scored on a per possession basis, Coppin State loses last season’s top three rebounders from a team that was 359th in rebound rate last season.
