As the month of January wraps up, the basketball races in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) are beginning to heat up, though there are familiar faces atop the standings on both the men's and women's side.

Following this past weekend, both Norfolk State and North Carolina A&T State are undefeated in conference play and sitting atop the standings on both the men's and women's side. The Norfolk State men are 6-0 in league play after comeback road victories this past week against Savannah State and South Carolina State, and North Carolina A&T State is 5-0 in league play after home wins over Morgan State and Coppin State.

The defending MEAC champion North Carolina Central men are 4-1 in conference play, having suffered their first MEAC loss this past Saturday at the hands of Coppin State (and a late three from Lamar Morgan). The Eagles bounced back on Monday with a dominant win over Morgan State and currently sit third in the standings.

Morgan was named MEAC Player of the Week, while Florida A&M's M.J. Randolph again took home Rookie of the Week honors and North Carolina Central's Raasean Davis was named Defensive Player of the Week.

The Aggies and Eagles will square off for the first time this season on Saturday, in Durham, N.C., in a contest that will be broadcast live on FloHoops. Norfolk State, meanwhile, will return home to take on Maryland Eastern Shore, and preseason favorite Bethune-Cookman will be on the road to take on Morgan State.

On the women's side, Norfolk State is 6-0 and atop the standings after hitting the road this past weekend to defeat Savannah State and South Carolina State. North Carolina A&T State, the defending MEAC champion and preseason favorite, kept pace at home with dominant wins over Morgan State and Coppin State.

Maryland Eastern Shore, meanwhile, improved to 5-1 in league play with road wins over Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman. Howard hit the road and fell at the hands of South Carolina State, dropping to 3-2 in MEAC play.

The Aggies' C'coriea Foy was named MEAC Player of the Week, while Howard's Krislyn Marsh was named Rookie of the Week and North Carolina Central's Paulina Afriyie earned Defensive Player of the Week honors.

North Carolina A&T State will take on rival North Carolina Central in Durham, N.C. on Saturday in what will be its only game of the week, while Norfolk State will return to Echols Hall for a match-up against Maryland Eastern Shore.

Bethune-Cookman will look to bounce back with road games against Morgan State and Coppin State.

Tickets for the 2019 MEAC Basketball Tournament (March 11-16, 2019 at Norfolk Scope Arena) are currently on sale. Fans can call the MEAC office at (757) 951-2055 to order; they can also purchase tickets through member institutions' ticket offices and Ticketmaster.