- (Sports Network) - OUTLOOK: The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference had plenty of fireworks this past season, as Morgan State dominated the regular season with a 14-2 ledger, but fell to the unstoppable and most unlikely force in Coppin State in the league tourney. After starting the campaign with a 4-19 ledger, the Eagles flew through the rest of their schedule and through the conference tournament into the NCAA Tournament. The Bears should not have an easy time in league play this season with only two starters returning, but coach Todd Bozeman is hoping that a batch of newcomers, along with some experienced players off the bench will have his squad in the thick of things by season's end once again. However, the team that will likely push Morgan State to the side this year will be South Carolina State. The Bulldogs are returning four starters, three of which are their top three players from a year ago. South Carolina State posted just a 7-9 ledger in league play this past year, but coach Tim Carter, in just his second season with the Bulldogs, has a shot for the MEAC title if everything goes right. It is not just Morgan State and South Carolina State vying for the top spot in the MEAC, as Norfolk State also has the talent to rise to the pinnacle of this league. Coach Anthony Evans only returns two starters, but the Spartans had one of the top benches this past season, and those players should be ready to step into the starting roles. After the top three teams there is a drop off in production, but the Hampton Pirates could be a dark horse in the race. The Pirates have lost their top scorer from a year ago, and return just two starters, but with a strong group of newcomers, coach Kevin Nickelberry could have a chance to make some waves in only his second year at Hampton. Delaware State should end somewhere in the middle of the pack, as should the defending conference tournament champion Coppin State Eagles. What the Eagles achieved this past year was outstanding, but with only one starter returning, it isn't likely that coach Ron Mitchell's squad has another magical run in it. Rounding out the bottom of the standings will likely be Howard, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Florida A&M, North Carolina A&T, Bethune-Cookman and Winston-Salem State (still in reclassification status). If any of those teams have a chance to make a run similar to Coppin State's it will be Howard, especially since the team is returning four starters, along with some key reserve players. CONFERENCE CHAMPION:

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. South Carolina State, 2. Morgan State, 3. Norfolk State, 4. Hampton, 5. Delaware State, 6. Coppin State, 7. Howard, 8. Maryland-Eastern Shore, 9. Florida A&M, 10. North Carolina A&T, 11. Bethune- Cookman, 12. Winston-Salem State.

TEAM BY TEAM ANALYSIS:

1. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE - It was a rough season for coach Carter in his first year at South Carolina State, as the team stumbled to a 7-9 finish in MEAC play, but the team should be ready this time around to make a substantial jump in league action this year. Leading the way will be forward Jason Johnson. Johnson is one of the top frontcourt players in the conference, and should average near a double-double this season. Julius Carter, who was pivotal off the bench last year should find a new home in the starting lineup giving SCSU a strong tandem in the paint throughout the season. While the frontcourt looks strong, the main strength of this team will be in the backcourt, as all three starters return, including swingman Jason Flagler. Flagler is a dangerous scoring threat who shot a strong 53.7 percent this past season. The guard also has the ability to contribute on the glass, and should improve on his 6.1 rpg from a year ago. Jessie Burton and Carrio Bennett will be the two other starting guards for coach Carter this season, and both players have a knack for finding the open shooter. Burton, who led the team with 3.1 apg this past season is also a dangerous shooter from the outside, netting 40.6 percent of his three-point attempts. As for Bennett, he tallied 9.1 ppg last year, but the guard must improve on his 34.1 percent shooting effort from the floor. Overall coach Carter has a strong group this year, and barring anything drastic, the Bulldogs should be in the mix at the end of the season.

2. MORGAN STATE - The Bears ran through the MEAC this past season, grabbing a 14-2 record along the way, but all that hard work meant nothing in the conference tournament, as the team suffered a heartbreaking loss to Coppin State. Morgan State was still invited to the NIT Tournament, but clearly that was not the team's goal going into the year. Now coach Bozeman must get his players to get over last year's tough finish, and leading the way will be Marquise Kately. Kately is one of the top forwards in the MEAC, and is coming off a strong junior campaign in which he averaged 13.1 ppg and 5.9 rpg. Lending a hand down low will be either Gene Johnson or Rodney Stokes. However, neither has that much experience, so most of the pressure will likely fall on the shoulders of Kately. Despite losing two top backcourt players, the Bears should be fine at the guard position. Reggie Holmes, who posted 12.9 ppg this past season, will likely take over as the team's go-to guy, and Jermaine Bolden will likely step in as the Bears' floor general. Bolden was one of the top players off the bench for Morgan State this past season, and while the guard only averaged 5.4 ppg, he was able to distribute 3.6 apg. Morgan State will have a tougher time in league action this year, but this squad is still potent enough to make a run at the title once again.

3. NORFOLK STATE - The Spartans are coming off a promising season in which the team tallied an 11-5 mark in MEAC play, and although only two starters return for coach Anthony Evans, Norfolk State should once again be near the top of the conference. The team's success will begin with guard Corey Lyons. The senior, who averaged 13.9 ppg this past season, is clearly the Spartans' main scoring threat. Michael Deloach was tremendous off the bench, but the guard who averaged 12.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, and 3.1 apg, will now be a fixture in the starting lineup, giving the Spartans a dangerous duo in the backcourt. Headlining the frontcourt will be returning starters Brandon Monroe and Joseph Dorsett-Jeffreys. Monroe is very strong on the glass, and also plays solid defense, but the forward will need to take over more of the scoring duties. As for Dorsett-Jeffreys, the 6-11 center has the potential to be a dominant force in the MEAC, but the big man will have to learn to keep himself on the court. Norfolk State is on the brink of becoming an elite team in this conference, but before that happens the Spartans will need to gel quickly as a unit.

4. HAMPTON - Losing their top scorer Rashad West will surely hurt the Pirates this season, but coach Nickelberry still has plenty of talent to keep Hampton near the top of the conference. Vinny Simpson will have to pick up where West left off, and the guard should have no trouble taking over the scoring duties considering he tallied 11.1 ppg a year ago. Teaming with Simpson in the backcourt will likely be sophomore Jordan Brooks. Brooks only posted 3.1 ppg this past season, but the guard has the ability to run the point guard position. The frontcourt will have much more depth, but only one player has starting experience. That player is Michael Freeman, a 6-8 junior who averaged 7.7 ppg and 4.9 rpg. Freeman is a strong inside presence and should have plenty of chances to produce points this season. Donte Harrison and Theo Smalling will likely see a sharp increase in playing time this season. Harrison, at 6-9, is more of a scoring threat in the paint for Hampton, while Smalling is a tremendous glass cleaner, grabbing 6.0 rpg this past year as a reserve.

5. DELAWARE STATE - There is no getting around the loss of standout player Roy Bright (19.1 ppg, and 5.3 rpg), but the Hornets will need to find other sources of production. Most likely the pressure to produce will land on the shoulders of the backcourt tandem of Donald Johnson and Marcus Neal. Johnson is a strong offensive player coming off a 10.0 ppg effort a year ago, but Neal will need to improve his play drastically, as the junior tallied just 5.4 ppg last season. Where things get a little dicey for Delaware State is in the paint, as the team does not possess much depth or experience. Frisco Sandidge is the lone returning starter in the frontcourt, but the junior is not much of a scorer, and tends to struggle on the glass as well. After Sandidge there is not much else, as Terrence Parkes is the only other player with any real experience, but the sophomore played a very small role this past year, while netting just 3.0 ppg. Coach Greg Jackson's squad usually contends for a top spot in the MEAC, but this year the team could take a step back due to its lack of depth and experience.

6. COPPIN STATE - What a turn of events the Eagles went through in just one season. Coppin State began the year with 19 losses in 23 games, but then turned the tides drastically, finishing with a 7-9 ledger in the league and a shocking conference championship title. Unfortunately it will be hard for the Eagles to duplicate that tremendous run with only one starter returning. However, that lone starter is Tywain McKee, who is possibly the top player in the MEAC. The senior guard is the complete package, and is coming off an impressive junior season in which he posted 16.6 ppg to go along with 4.4 rpg and 3.1 apg. However, other than McKee, coach Mitchell does not have much in the cupboard. The rest of the starting lineup will be filled with young players that will need to step up their efforts. Sophomore Vince Goldsberry will likely team up with McKee in the backcourt, and will mainly be the point guard for the squad, so expect him to pass first and shoot second. The frontcourt is a huge question mark for coach Mitchell, as the team will need to rely on sophomores Eddie Hayden and Ceslovas Kucinskas. Both players saw very limited time this past season, so it will be interesting to see if the two youngsters can handle the spike in playing time. Last year's run was magical for Coppin State, but a repeat will be highly unlikely.

7. HOWARD - With one of youngest teams in the conference this past season the Bison struggled for most of the year, finishing just 3-13 in league play. However, the team should now take a step forward this season with four starters returning, along with a slew of experienced players. The backcourt should really cause problems for opposing teams, as Eugene Myatt and Kyle Riley form a tenacious duo. Myatt is leader for the Bison this year and is the top returning scorer (14.1 ppg), while Riley is an exciting player with all the makings of a superstar in the MEAC. In his first season, Riley averaged 6.6 ppg, and there is little doubt that his production will increase this year. Not to be overlooked is Curtis White, as the junior guard will also see substantial playing time for the Bison this season. White is a bigger guard who is a tremendous defender. The frontcourt is where things get a little hazy for coach Gil Jackson, as the only real threat in the paint returning is Randy Hampton. The senior is a tremendous presence underneath the basket for Howard, and is coming off a terrific showing in which he averaged 11.6 ppg to go along with 5.2 rpg. However, other than Hampton there are no real standout options for coach Jackson down low, so expect Kandi Mukole, Adam Walker and center Paul Kirkpatrick to see a strong amount of playing time for Howard.

8. MARYLAND-EASTERN SHORE - Not much went right for the Hawks this past season as the team collected just four total victories, two of which came in league play. However, with new coach Frankie Allen on the bench for UMES, there is nowhere but up for this young squad. Although he is just a sophomore, Denzel Jackson could be one of the top inside players in the conference, as the forward is coming off a strong season in which he posted 6.1 ppg, and 6.7 rpg. Aleksandar Popovic should see a spike in playing time, and while the center was strong on the glass this past season (6.2 rpg), he will definitely need to improve offensively. The backcourt possesses a strong scoring tandem in Marc Davis and Gary Lee. Davis is only a sophomore, but the guard was outstanding this past season, netting 10.7 ppg, while dishing out 3.2 apg. Davis should continue to improve and will likely be one of the top point guards in the conference. As for Lee, he has the versatility to play guard or forward, but the senior can perform at either position and will likely be one of the main reasons for the Hawks' progression this season. Overall the Hawks should see an increase in wins, but a .500 record would be a stretch.

9. FLORIDA A&M - The Rattlers were mediocre at best this past season finishing the year with a 9-7 ledger in league play. The team should put forth a similar effort this season, as the squad returns three players, including the backcourt tandem of Lamar Twitty and Joe Ballard. Twitty is a tremendous guard, probably one of the best in the conference, and is coming off a terrific junior campaign in which is averaged 13.2 ppg and 6.1 rpg. Twitty should put up similar numbers this season, thanks in part to Ballard, who has performed well as the team's point guard. Ballard is a stellar floor general, who posted 3.8 apg this past season. Where the team will likely struggle is in the paint, as the lone returning starter down low is sophomore Larry Johnson. Johnson made some small progress this past season, but the forward's production will need to improve drastically since he is the most experienced player in the paint. The Rattlers will need immediate help in the frontcourt from newcomers Cecil Bent and Demario James. The Rattlers might possess a dangerous backcourt, but the team lacks depth and experience in the paint, and that is what will plague FAMU all year long.

10. NORTH CAROLINA A&T - There will be plenty of holes for coach Jerry Eaves to fill, as the team lost its top three scorers from a year ago. The Aggies will have to rely heavily on sophomore Thomas Coleman. Coleman is a true big man, who has the power and quickness to dominant in the paint. In his first season at North Carolina A&T, the forward tallied 6.9 ppg to go along with 5.1 rpg. Coleman should continue to improve and will likely be one of the tougher players in the MEAC. Eddie Jones will join Coleman in the frontcourt, giving the Aggies a potent tandem underneath the basket. However, the team lacks depth in the backcourt, and that will likely cause problems throughout the season. Tavarus Alston is the only guard on the roster with any experience, but the junior posted just 2.7 ppg. Coach Eaves will have to look toward one of the newcomers to step into a starting role, and that will likely be juco transfer Dwane Joshua. The Aggies have little experience in the backcourt and that will be a problem for North Carolina A&T all year long.

11. BETHUNE-COOKMAN - The Wildcats only won five league games this past season, but the team returns three starters and has a strong amount of newcomers on the roster. John Holmes is a very gifted athlete with the ability to score from the outside, or by driving the lane. Holmes is one of the top players in the league, and should continue to be an offensive powerhouse, as well as a force on the glass. Coach Clifford Reed is hoping that sophomore Dominique Whatley can be the main option out of the backcourt, as the 6-5 scoring threat posted 8.0 ppg last year. Unfortunately the Wildcats are pretty weak after Holmes and Whatley, so do not expect much from Bethune-Cookman this season.

12. WINSTON-SALEM STATE - The Rams will not officially be a part of the MEAC until 2011, but while the team waits in limbo, coach Bobby Collins is preparing this program to be force in league action. Jamal Durham is the lone returning starter in the frontcourt, and the forward is clearly the best scoring option on the roster. The senior, who posted 12.2 ppg and 5.6 rpg this past season, should take care of the bulk of the work for Winston-Salem State down low. Sophomore Paul Davis will definitely see a spike in action this year, as the center was a menace on the glass for the Rams this past season. Davis will surely be a complement to Durham in the paint, but the center will need to produce more than 5.8 ppg. Brian Fisher and Isiah Tucker should form a strong duo in the backcourt, as Fisher possesses a strong scoring sense, while Tucker is the prototypical point guard, who averaged 2.7 apg this past year. The Rams are unable to perform in the MEAC's postseason tournament, but the school will definitely use this time to prepare for the near future.









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