The North Carolina Central Eagles play the Howard Bison in the MEAC Championship. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Howard is favored by 11.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -900. Meanwhile, NC Central is the underdog at +11.5 with a moneyline of +600. The total is set at 144.5 points.
Here’s my NC Central vs. Howard predictions and college basketball picks for March 14, 2026.
NC Central vs Howard Prediction
My Pick: Howard -11.5
My NC Central vs Howard best bet is on the Bison to cover. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
NC Central vs Howard Odds
| NC Central Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+11.5 -110 | 144.5 -110o / -110u | +600 |
| Howard Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-11.5 -110 | 144.5 -110o / -110u | -900 |
- NC Central vs Howard spread: Howard -11,5
- NC Central vs Howard over/under: 146.5 points
- NC Central vs Howard moneyline: NC Central +600, Howard -900
NC Central vs Howard College Basketball Betting Preview
Howard Bison Betting Preview
The MEAC’s top-seeded Howard Bison are set to square off with North Carolina Central on Saturday with a conference title on the line.
The Bison are an impressive 22-10 on the season, and a considerable favorite to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last four seasons under head coach Kevin Blakeney.
For a program that had previously been to the Big Dance just twice since Howard’s inaugural season in 1971, what Blakeney has accomplished for the Bisons in just six seasons with the team is nothing short of sensational.
6-foot-4 Senior guard Bryce Harris leads Howard in scoring with an uber-impressive 17.5 points per contest in 2026. The Bison guard is extremely versatile.
Howard is having a breakout season offensively with Blakeney’s bunch scoring over 77 points per game this season, while its defensive unit is allowing its opponents just 68 points per game.
Alongside Harris, 5-foot-11 Junior guard Cam Gillus runs the point for this high-octane Bison offense. Like his backcourt mate, Gillus is also posting a double-figure scoring effort per contest in 2026.
Howard boasts elite guard-play with four in the starting-five, all of which are scoring over ten points per contest this season.
6-foot-7 Junior Guard Cedric Taylor poses massive matchup problems for opposing defenses, given his length and frame at the guard position. Taylor is the Bisons’ second-leading scorer with over 17 points as well, also recording over six rebounds and three assists.
6-foot-5 Senior Ose Okojie rounds out an extremely athletic Howard offense, posting ten points per game.
Though the Bison have four spectacular guards, their starting five is a little undersized. That said, Howard has been more efficient defensively, ranking in the top 120 nationally per KenPom.
The number-one-seeded Bison have been the top dog in the MEAC all year long, dropping just three games on their conference schedule in the regular season.
It is going to take an exceptional effort on both ends of the floor for the Eagles to have a shot at taking down Howard.
NC Central Eagles Betting Preview
LeVelle Moton is in his 17th season as head coach of the Eagles, having led them to four NCAA Tournament appearances. Moton looks to lead his Eagles to a fifth tournament bid in 2026, with his bunch posting a 14-17 overall record heading into the championship game.
6-foot-2 guard Gage Lattimore is having a phenomenal Sophomore season for NC Central, leading the team in scoring with over 17 points per contest.
Khouri Carvey is also having himself a stellar final collegiate season for NC Central. The 6-foot-9 Forward is averaging nearly 14/6 per game.
Moton’s offense is scoring over 72 points per game this season and ranks in the top 320 in offensive efficiency ratings, per Haslametrics.
On the other end of the floor, the Eagles are allowing their opponents just over 76 points per contest this season, posting a -4 scoring margin, which ranks near the top of the conference.
NC Central has really struggled on the glass for most of this season, averaging just 31 rebounds per game, ranking in the bottom 5% of Division I programs.
Moton’s Eagles enter the MEAC final with a ton of momentum, winning four of the team’s past five contests heading into this matchup.
NC Central vs Howard MEAC Championship Pick
While there's no doubt that NC Central is finally getting hot at the right time, they run into a Bison team that has been the best in the MEAC all season.
I love the Bisons to continue rolling on their way to the Big Dance.
My Pick: Howard -11.5
