MEAC Basketball: 2020-21 preseason outlook for the conference

Mar 16, 2019; Norfolk, VA, USA; North Carolina Central Eagles guard Jordan Perkins (4) drives to the basket against Norfolk State Spartans guard Steven Whitley (34) during the first half in the MEAC Tournament Final at The Scope. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports /

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Mar 16, 2019; Norfolk, VA, USA; Norfolk State Spartans guard C.J. Kelly (15) and North Carolina Central Eagles guard Julian Walters (20) Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports /

What is the outlook of MEAC Basketball for the 2020-21 season?

The period leading into the 2020-21 basketball season has been a unique one for pretty much everybody in the country with COVID-19 impacting the sports landscape. College Basketball is no different, with P5 conferences reduced to virtual recruiting visits and Zoom video chats to land prospective players.

The pandemic of the century notwithstanding, off-season basketball fortunes for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference have never been better, and that’s translated to one of the most exciting pre-season outlooks among mid-major leagues for the upcoming season.

Of course, this being the last season of the MEAC’s current geographic makeup adds a bit of spice to the upcoming season as well, with Florida A&M and Bethune Cookman taking their programs to the SWAC, and North Carolina A&T becoming the 2nd HBCU addition to the Big South Conference.

Those departures had a lot of people bemoaning the future of the conference a few months back. Fast-forward to the present and now fans of the MEAC could be looking at one of the more competitive conferences among mid-majors this year. Of course, the following event changed the whole tone of the upcoming MEAC Basketball season:

I was the 1st to announce my visit to Howard & other started to dream “what if”. I need to make the HBCU movement real so that others will follow. I hope I inspire guys like Mikey Williams to join me on this journey. I am committing to Howard U & coach Kenny Blakeney #MakerMob
— MK (@MakurMaker) July 3, 2020

Makur Maker’s commitment brought a long-overdue spotlight to the league in general. It turns out that Maker isn’t the only new face MEAC fans will get to see this year. The influx of new talent has definitely drawn well-deserved headlines and increased visibility for the league.

How will all of these off-season moves translate to the upcoming conference slate? Who will stand out among the bevy of teams vying for the league crown? There are plenty of competing storylines to examine as we look at how this race for the top spot in the conference could shake out.

Let’s take a closer look at some teams to keep an eye on as the official start of the college basketball season draws closer to getting underway.