MEAC Basketball: Preseason rankings for 2018-19

3.  North Carolina Central Eagles

The North Carolina Central shocked the whole MEAC when they made a run to the NCAA Tournament in March. After finishing 9-7 in conference play during the regular season, the Eagles made it all the way to the conference championship, winning head coach LeVelle Moton’s second conference tournament championship in a row.

Coach Moton will have his guys ready to play at a high level in 2018-19 as his squad returns four of five starters from a season ago. Raasean Davis will look to be the best big man in the conference after averaging 15.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game as a junior. Also returning are 6-foot-6 forward Pablo Rivas, point guard Jordan Perkins and 6-foot-4 guard Larry Mcknight Jr.

Rivas produced 11.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Perkins was stellar during his freshman season, putting up 8.3 points and 5.4 assists per contest. McKnight put up 5.9 points and 2.3 rebounds off the bench but with the departure of Reginald Gardner, he should crack the starting rotation in 2018-19.

Coach Moton has led his squad to three NCAA Tournament appearances, three regular season championships and three conference tournament championships in his tenure as head coach.  His team has the potentail to be special this upcoming season, they’ll just need to produce.