Busting Brackets
Fansided

MEAC Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

By Joey Loose

Mar 12, 2022; Norfolk, VA, USA; Norfolk State Spartans guard Joe Bryant Jr. (4) drives to the basket against Coppin State Eagles guard Kyle Cardaci (12) during the second half in the MEAC Tournament Championship. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2022; Norfolk, VA, USA; Norfolk State Spartans guard Joe Bryant Jr. (4) drives to the basket against Coppin State Eagles guard Kyle Cardaci (12) during the second half in the MEAC Tournament Championship. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
18 of 26
Next
MEAC Basketball Patrick Cole #11 of the North Carolina Central Eagles (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
MEAC Basketball Patrick Cole #11 of the North Carolina Central Eagles (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

9. Patrick Cole

Cole is a 6’5 guard from Newark, New Jersey who actually played for two different MEAC programs. He began his career with a decent freshman season at Coppin State in 2012, though this was more than a decade ago and won’t be considered today. After sitting out a season, he transferred to Siena but played just seven games for the Saints before transferring again. Cole arrived at North Carolina Central in 2015 and developed into a star for the Eagles just two years later.

In his junior year, his first with the Eagles, he averaged 14.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, albeit in a challenging season for the program. Year two was far different in every regard. North Carolina Central won 25 games and the MEAC’s regular season and tournament titles, getting 19.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists a game from Cole. He had a triple-double against Jackson State and flirted with a few more, ending his career in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

Cole was named MEAC Player of the Year for that final season, a year where he filled the stat sheets and lead the Eagles to an incredible performance. Not only was Cole a top-level scorer, but he led the MEAC in defensive rebounds, assists, and free throws, spearheading North Carolina Central’s return to the NCAA Tournament, just their second trip in program history.