NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The MEAC tournament kicks off Wednesday with both the Norfolk State men’s and women’s basketball teams looking to make a run, win three games in a row and catch an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.
Starting with the men, Robert Jones and the Spartans are 21-10 and will open their conference tournament play against No. 8 seed Maryland-Eastern Shore. While UMES is only 2-12 in conference play, Jones knows they can’t be taken lightly. UMES will come into Scope Arena with a point to prove, looking to knock off the conference’s top-seeded team.
“Are we preparing the right way? Because if we are, I think we’ll be OK,” Jones said.
The Spartans will tip off against UMES at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
For the women’s team, Larry Vickers and the Spartans ran the table in MEAC play this season by a wide margin. They open their conference tournament schedule with South Carolina State at Scope at noon Wednesday.
The Spartans are on an unprecedented stretch, going 27-4 on the season with some really impressive out of conference wins. Vickers wants to make a statement that this team belongs among the all-time elite HBCU teams.
“We started talking about putting your name in the history books,” Vickers said. “We know if you really want to put your name next to the A&T team of 2005, or the Hampton teams, you have to win these next three games.”
Both teams earned all MEAC Honors as well Tuesday night.
NSU men’s basketball
- Brian Moore Jr. (newcomer of the year/1st team all-MEAC)
- Christian Ings (3rd team all-MEAC)
- Kuluel Mading (MEAC all-defensive team)
NSU women’s basketball
- Diamond Johnson (MEAC player of the year, MEAC all-defensive team, 1st team all-MEAC)
- Kierra Wheeler (1st team all-MEAC, MEAC all-defensive team)
- Larry Vickers (coach of the year)
- Anjanae Richardson (MEAC sixth player of the year, 3rd team all-MEAC)
- Da’Brya Clark (3rd team all-MEAC)