2026 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics
Format
Typically, the MEAC Tournament features a traditional bracket with split quarterfinal doubleheaders to protect the top two seeds, but this year, there’s a twist with only seven teams involved. The first of those double sets comes down to one match.
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Place
The Norfolk (Virginia) Scope is hosting the event for the twelfth consecutive time.
Participants
Coppin State (7-24, 5-9, t-6th) will not participate as it is not eligible for the postseason due to APR violations.
Schedule
Downloadable PDF support
TV/streaming information
The numbering of games includes the women’s tournament.
Quarterfinals (Wednesday 3/11)
GM. 3: (7) State of Delaware 75(2) Morgan State (14-16, 10-4) 70 (OT)
Quarterfinals (Thursday 3/12)
GM. 6: ((5) State of South Carolina 88(4) Norfolk State (15-17, 8-6) 82
GM. 7: (6) Maryland-Eastern Shore (9-23, 5-9) 76, (3) North Carolina Central 83 (OLD TESTAMENT)
Semifinals (Friday 3/13)
GM. 10: (5) South Carolina State (10-22, 7-7) 61, (1) Howard 78
GM. 11: (7) State of Delaware (8-23, 2-12) 53, (3) North Carolina Central 59
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Championship (Saturday 3/14)
GM. 12: (3) North Carolina Central (14-18, 8-6) 63, (1) HOWARD (23-10, 11-3) 70
Chaos Potential
Data originally published by Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter in 2020 with my own additions for subsequent seasons.
Over the past 14 editions, the MEAC’s top two seeds have managed to win a total of nine championships, although Norfolk State’s victory in 2022 was the first for a No. 1 since 2017. No true two seed has won since 2012, as Norfolk State won as the North Division’s second seed in a COVID-impacted 2021 edition.
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1 seed (7): 2014, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026
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2 seeds (3): 2011, 2012, 2021 (divisional)
NCAA seeding record in 68-team era
Years with an NCAA victory are in bold.
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16 seeds (12): 2011, 2013 (First four), 2015 (First Four), 2016, 2017 (First Four), 2018 (First Four), 2019 (First Four), 2021 (First Four), 2022, 2023, 2024 (First Four), 2025
NC Central is responsible for the MEAC’s top seed over the past 10 years, but Norfolk State has the conference’s only win outside of Dayton in that span, the Spartans defeating Missouri 15-2 in 2012.
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This year’s champion will likely be the MEAC’s 13th seed since the field expanded in 2011. It’s also likely to go to Dayton.
Recent NCAA tournament appearances
Howard: 2026
Norfolk State: 2025 (16th place, 1st round)
Central North Carolina: 2019 (16th place, first four)
Morgan Status: 2010 (15th place, 1st round)
Coppin Status: 2008 (16th place, opening round)
State of Delaware: 2005 (16th place, 1st round)
State of South Carolina: 2003 (16th place, 1st round)
Maryland-East Coast is the only remaining MEAC member without an NCAA appearance at the Division I level.