NORFOLK, Va. (Interstat) — A quick-turnaround rematch awaits North Carolina Central and Maryland-Eastern Shore on Thursday in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament opener.

The eighth-seeded Eagles (12-17) and ninth-seeded Hawks (9-22) will meet at the Constant Convocation Center just 10 days after North Carolina Central escaped Princess Anne, Maryland, with a 77-73 victory on March 2.

The winner advances to face top-seeded Norfolk State in a quarterfinal Friday.

North Carolina Central swept the regular-season series, also edging the Hawks 65-63 at home on Feb. 2. Both contests were tightly contested, suggesting another close battle in the win-or-go-home environment.

The Eagles enter having lost three of their last four, including an 80-64 defeat to South Carolina State in their regular-season finale. Guard Gage Lattimore has been a consistent catalyst, averaging 16.7 points over his last seven games. He torched the Hawks for 23 points and six assists in the most recent matchup.

Maryland-Eastern Shore looks to rebound from a heartbreaking 57-56 loss to Delaware State on March 5, a game decided on a last-second shot. The Hawks have lost five of six but showed potency in a 69-57 win over South Carolina State on Feb. 28.

A key for the Hawks will be the production of guard Joseph Locandro, who scored 18 points in 20 minutes against Delaware State and added 10 points against the Eagles earlier this month. His offensive spark off the bench will be vital.

North Carolina Central holds the experience edge in recent tournament play, while Maryland-Eastern Shore seeks its first MEAC tournament victory since 2022. The Eagles’ ability to handle Lattimore’s playmaking and the Hawks’ capacity to finish a tight game will likely decide who moves on.