UMBC Faces Howard in First Four NCAA Tournament Matchup

No. 16 seeds UMBC Retrievers and Howard Bison are set to battle in a high stakes First Four matchup of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on Tuesday, March 17, at 6:40 p.m. in Dayton, Ohio. The winner will advance to face No. 1 seed Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball in Buffalo, New York, on Thursday.

UMBC (24-8, 14-2 America East) punched its ticket to the Big Dance for the first time since its historic 2018 run by capturing the America East Championship with a dominant 74-59 win over Vermont. The Retrievers closed the title game on a blistering 28-10 run over the final seven minutes to secure their third conference crown in front of a sold out crowd at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena.

Tournament Most Outstanding Player DJ Armstrong Jr. delivered a career performance, scoring 33 points on an efficient 9 of 11 shooting night. He exploded for 20 second half points and ignited the decisive late game surge. Armstrong also hit a clutch jumper before halftime to give UMBC a narrow 30-28 lead at the break.

Despite being picked to finish seventh in the preseason, the Retrievers enter the NCAA Tournament riding a program record 12 game winning streak. Ace Valentine added 13 points, four assists, and three rebounds in the championship win, while Jose Roberto Tanchyn and Josh Odunowo controlled the paint with a combined 15 points and 15 rebounds.

Howard (23-10, 11-3 MEAC) arrives with momentum of its own after winning the MEAC Tournament title for the third time in four years. The Bison defeated North Carolina Central 70-63 in Norfolk to secure the program’s fifth NCAA Tournament appearance. Led by MEAC Player of the Year Bryce Harris and Defensive Player of the Year Cedric Taylor III, head coach Kenneth Blakeney’s squad will look to continue its postseason success.

UMBC trails the all time series against Howard 5-2 but won the teams’ most recent meeting in Baltimore during the 2024 season.