WASHINGTON (February 7, 2025) – Howard University men's basketball team clashes with rival North Carolina Central (NCCU) Saturday (Feb. 8) in a pivotal Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) showdown inside The Burr. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.
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GAME 23
EVENT: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Matchup
PARTICIPANTS: North Carolina Central (Eagles) vs. Howard (Bison)
DATE: February 8, 2025
TIME: 4 p.m.
LOCATION: Burr Gymnasium in Washington, D.C.
PROMO: Alumni Day
LAST TIMEOUT
HOWARD
On Feb. 3, senior guard
Marcus Dockery (Washington) and graduate forward
Cameron Shockley-Okeke (Norwalk, Conn.) each scored 18 points and freshman standout
Blake Harper (Washington) added 17 points but it was not enough to offset a season-high 29 turnovers as the Bison fell, 89-66, to South Carolina State at Burr Gymnasium.
NCCU
NC Central (10-13, 3-3 MEAC) looks to bounce back after a tough road loss at Norfolk State Monday (Feb. 3). Junior forward Perry Smith Jr., led all scorers with a new career-high 24 points and nine rebounds.
SERIES RECORD
The two schools have split the last 10 matchups with Howard defeating the Eagles, 90-82, at home (February 17, 2024) in their most recent meeting. NCCU last won in D.C., 98-90 (February 18, 2019). The Eagles hold a 14-6 advantage since 2011.
THE COACHES
NCCU is coached by Levelle Moton (NCCU, '96), who is in his 16
th season at his alma mater. Howard is led by
Kenneth Blakeney (Duke, '95), who is in his sixth season and has led the Bison to two straight MEAC Tournament titles and NCAA appearances.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
HOWARD PROBABLE STARTERS
No. Name 2024-25 Stats
15
Cameron Shockley-Okeke 10.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 42-percent 3FG% & 49 3FGM
1
Anwar Gill 8.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg & team-leading 79 assists
5
Marcus Dockery 17.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 42 assists, 16 steals & 42-percent 3FG%
7
Blake Harper 19.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 74 assists, 23 steals & 82-percent FT%
21
Calvin Robins Jr. 2.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg & 56-percent FG%
HOWARD KEY RESERVES
No. Name 2024-25 Stats
3
Jaren Johnson 5.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg & 89-percent FT%
4
Miles Stewart 4.0 rpg, 2.5 rpg, 10 blocked shots & 60-percent FG%
8
Joshua Strong 6.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 26 3FGM & 90-percent FT%
NCCU PROBABLE STARTERS
No. Name 2024-25 Stats
12 Perry Smith, Jr. 10.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 66-percent FG% & 14 blocks
35 Po'Boigh King 16.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg & 47 3FGM
1 Keishon Porter 11.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 25 3FGM & 31 steals
2 Dionte Johnson 6.0 ppg & 2.5 rpg
5 Timmy Adedire 5.3 ppg & 4.1 rpg
NCCU KEY RESERVES
No. Name 2024-25 Stats
11 Isaac Parson 8.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg & team-high 89 assists
14 Floyd Rideau, Jr. 6.5 ppg & 83-percent FT%
MEAC STATS
HOWARD
The Bison lead the MEAC in three-point shooting (40-percent), three-pointers made per game (8.6) and assists (17.9).
Individually, Harper leads the conference in scoring (19.3 ppg), second in rebounding (6.5 per game), minutes played (34.6), free throw shooting (83-percent), fourth in assists (3.5), fifth in assists/turnover ratio and seventh in field goal shooting (45-percent)…Dockery ranks third in minutes played (32.0 per game), first in three-pointers made (2.8 per game) and three-point shooting (42-percent), fourth in scoring (17.2 ppg) and field goal shooting (49-percent) and 11
th in steals…Shockley-Okeke is third in three-pointers made (2.3)…graduate guard
Joshua Strong (Minneapolis) is sixth in three-pointers made per game (2.0 per game)…graduate guard
Anwar Gill (Washington) is second in assists (4.1), eighth in minutes played and assists/turnover ratio…redshirt junior forward
Ayodele Taiwo (Lagos, Nigeria) is seventh in blocked shots.
NCCU
The Eagles lead the MEAC in three-point shooting defense (29-percent), team offensive rebounding (13.8), turnover margin and assists/turnover margin.
Individually, Po'Boigh King is fifth in scoring (16.5), three pointers made per game (2.0) and free throw shooting (74-percent), sixth in steals, ninth in field goal shooting (44-percent) and 10
th minutes played…Keishon Porter is sixth in steals and seventh free throw shooting (71-percent)…Isaac Parson leads the conference in assists and assists/turnover ratio…Dionte Johnson ranks third in assists (3.4) and assists/turnover ratio and second in steals.
NATIONAL STATS
Howard is ranked ninth in three-point shooting (40-percent) and 24
th in assists (17.0).
Individually, Dockery is 31
st in three-pointers per game (2.8)…Harper ranks third among all freshmen in scoring and 28
th overall…Harper is one of a few players to have recorded a triple-double this season.
GAME NOTES
EAGLE NOTES
The Eagles had a three-game win streak snapped in the road loss at Norfolk State (Feb. 3)…NCCU's last three games have been decided by a total of eight points…The Eagles have yet to win a conference road game this season and 2-9 overall away from Durham this year…NCCU is averaging almost 10 steals per game and getting 20 points off opponent miscues.
BISON NOTES
Harper has established himself as one of the top freshmen in the country, being named MEAC Rookie of the Week 13 times this season…A rarity in the conference, Harper holds the honor of having been named the MEAC Player of the Week twice, along with his growing list of accolades...Harper also holds the distinction of being rank third among all freshmen in scoring in the NCAA Division I behind Rutgers' Ace Bailey and Dukes' Cooper Flagg…Harper is one of a handful of Division I players to have recorded a triple-double this season…Harper has recorded three double-doubles while scoring 30 or more points three times, including a career-high 35 points against Hampton (Feb. 1)…Harper has reached double figures in all but two games this season...Dockery is quietly having his best all-around season in a Bison uniform, continuing to be the premier long ball shooter in the conference for the third straight season…Dockery leads the conference in three-point shooting percentage and in three pointers made per game…Dockery has flourished in other areas, including a career-best 49 percent from the field overall, 42-percent from downtown and 84-percent from the charity stripe…Dockery has improved his playmaking skills as he is scheduled to set a new career high in assists...Dockery ranks 31
st in the country in three-point field shooting percentage...Dockery has also reached double figures in all but two games and the same for hitting at least on three pointer in all but two contests...Shockley-Okeke has reached double-digit scoring in seven-of-the-last-eight games…The Bison are averaging almost 18 assists per game and limiting opponents to 31-percent shooting from the three-point line…A nemesis for Howard has been the turnover where they are surrendering 18 points a contest off their miscues…Howard had a season-high 29 turnovers in the loss to South Carolina State (Feb. 3), the highest since the 2012 season, resulting in 34 points off turnovers…Howard has now played with 12 different starting lineups, the most in the past 10 years…Dockery currently ranks third on the school all-time list for three pointers made in a career and only 18 baskets behind
Charles "CJ" Williams and
Ron Williamson.
NEXT UP
NCCU returns home to host Coppin State Saturday (Feb. 15) at 4 p.m. Howard travels to Princess Anne, Md., to take on the Hawks of Maryland Eastern Shore Monday (Feb. 10). Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at
www.HUBison.com.
