MEAC conference play season finale, what a win means for each team in the "Elite Eight"

The MEAC regular season will conclude after Thursday's four-game rotation with three games being featured on ESPN+.

Norfolk State captured the 2024-25 regular season championship crown after a dominant 96-57 win over North Carolina Central Monday night. The Lady Spartans' regular season championship victory marks the fourth consecutive time that they have clinched or shared the honors.

On the flip side, Howard, who is second in conference play, is looking to get revenge after suffering a 69-53 loss against Norfolk in January. Last season the two teams met in the MEAC championship, where the Lady Spartans snagged the win.

Coppin State has taken the MEAC by surprise this season with a 17-12 record, which is their best season since 2021-22 (15-13). Although they suffered tough losses to No. 1 NSU and No. 2 Howard, they are trending in the right direction.

The Maryland Shore Hawks have been hanging around in conference play after having a turbulent season. The team will look to end the season strong. Morgan State and North Carolina Central remain on the outskirts of the conference and look to get a tune-up in before the tournament, where they could possibly pull an upset depending on the final seeding.

Delaware State, which has young talent for the future, and South Carolina State who are ready for this season to be over are trying to get more reps with the tournament looming.

Here's what a win could mean for each member of the Elite Eight of the MEAC.

Morgan State (No. 5) vs Coppin State (No. 3) - Thursday at 5:30pm EST (ESPN+)

Morgan State: A win for the Morgan State Bears will write the wrongs of the 61-56 loss at home against the Coppin State Eagles back in January. MSU is coming off of an impressive 68-47 win against Del State.

Despite Monday's victory, the Lady Bears struggled to shoot from three and were held to 21.4 percent shooting from downtown. Not to mention, they turned the ball over 21 times which is not a good stat to carry into the season finale.

A win for Morgan State will allow the team to work through their offense, execute in a hostile arena, and break even with their city rival. The "Orange and Blue" will also get a chance to improve their record and avoid a possible first round rematch against the Lady Eagles in the MEAC tournament.

Coppin State: Closing out Thursday's season finale with a win will help Coppin State end a one-game losing streak. A loss could result in a first-round matchup, combined with a UMES win, could set up a rematch against their uptown rivals on East Cold Spring Lane (Morgan).

Although they could win the matchup, it would be more beneficial for them to avoid a physical game in the opening round. A win will help Laila Lawrence, Angel Jones, and Tiffany Hammond are in sync to facilitate the offense through each other.

Shooting has not been a strong factor for this Lady Eagles team, but their ability to lock in on defense and grind it out has been a tough feat. Winning Thursday's game will help this team reconnect and build more momentum moving forward.

Norfolk (No. 1) vs Howard (No. 2) - Thursday at 5:00pm EST (ESPN+)

The possible championship rematch will be on full display Thursday evening as both teams look to capture a MEAC tournament championship.

Norfolk State: Regardless of the "Green and Gold" capturing their four consecutive regular season title, this win will help boost their Mid-Major ranking. This week, the team moved into the fifth rank, which is huge for this historic program.

The Gold Standard has been in full effect this season as the team knocked off their first SEC (Power Five) opponent in Missouri last November and they defeated Auburn. Diamond Johnson, who has a chance to be drafted or signed by a WNBA team, became the first active player in Division 1 with 2,000 points, 600 rebounds, 390 assists, and 300 steals.

A win for NSU will solidify their dominance and put them that much closer to reaching the championship game again. If the Lady Spartans defeat Howard Thursday, they will have finished conference play with a perfect 14-0 record and 11-0 this season at home.

Howard: Closing out conference play on Thursday with a win against Norfolk would extend Howard's winning streak to ten. However, the Lady Bison are looking to protect their home court and defy the odds, as ESPN analytics give them a 19.5 percent chance of winning.

While a loss would not affect HU's standing or rank entering the MEAC tournament, it's pivotal for them to enter with a win. This could be the championship rematch and a loss could effect their moral.

Destiny Howell has had a strong bounce-back season after sitting out the 2023-24 season due to injury. In the first match-up between Howard and Norfolk, the Lady Spartans held her to 12 points and smothered her on defense, holding her to 28.6 percent shooting from the field.

Playing the final game of the season at home will be a huge boost for HU as they look to continue to gain rhythm. One player that will help give the Lady Bison an edge is Saniyah King and her ability to push the tempo or run the half court offense.

Howard turned the ball over 20 times in the first match-up and struggled to execute in the half-court toward the end of the third quarter and fourth.

North Carolina Central (No. 6) vs South Carolina State (No. 8) - Thursday at 5:00pm EST (ESPN+)

North Carolina Central: The 2024-25 season for Central has been a roller coaster, to say the least, but they have an opportunity to make some noise in the postseason if they can win Thursday. A win for North Carolina and a Morgan loss can help them avoid Coppin State in the first round.

NCCU is filled with young talent, but they struggle with spacing the floor and generating easy offense. Coupled with their shooting struggles, the Eagles do not take care of the ball and they are averaging 24 turnovers a game which will hurt you come the postseason.

If Central can win Thursday, they will end a three-game losing streak and go into the tournament with momentum.

South Carolina State: South Carolina will finish this season in eighth place with the worst record, regardless of Thursday's results. They are on a ten-game losing streak and have not won since their 68-62 victory over Del State in January.

The Lady Bulldogs have been struggling to rebuild this program and attract talent that can produce points and develop. A win for SC State will help end the season on a good note and give them confidence on the road to the MEAC tournament.

Despite their record, this team plays hard and doesn't make excuses. Expect them to play physically against Central and to play with pride.

Maryland Eastern Shore (No. 4) vs Delaware State (No. 7) - Thursday at 5:00 EST (ESPN+)

UMES: One team that could be a dangerous matchup is Maryland Eastern Shore, which sits in the fourth-seed with a 12-16 overall record and 7-6 conference record.

The Hawks are entering Thursday's game against Delaware on a four-game winning streak. While the team doesn't excel in shooting, they make up for it with tough defense.

Senior Zamara Haynes has been the catalyst for the Hawks as she leads the team in scoring (11.5 points) and assists (2.7). She helps the team get into their offense and controls the pace of the game.

Brianna Barnes and Ce'Nara Skanes are physical in the post and have been the anchors for the team. They will be the key for the team to win and possibly make noise in the tournament.

Delaware State: DSU is an interesting team that is led by a much-improved sophomore, Kiarra McElrath. She is currently leading the team in scoring (13.4) and steals (2).

McElrath looks more confident on the floor and she hangs her hat on both sides of the ball. This Del-State team is young and loaded with a lot of young talent.

After last season, the team lost pivotal players to graduation and the portal. Needless to say, this team has a balanced attack in the front court and backcourt.

Mahogany Cottingham is a guard who can get to the rim at will, and she closes at the free-throw line, shooting 88.3 percent. Freshman Ericka Huggins has made her presence felt on the offensive board alongside McKenzie Stewart (when healthy), and Circe Rubio Remolar who is seeing more minutes this season.

Najah Lane is another player to look out for as she is a combo guard who can impact the game in a variety of ways. A win for DSU will build confidence for the tournament and next season.

If focused this team can match up well with most teams in the MEAC and will have a chance to gain experience together and push Howard to the brink if they meet in the first round.