Howard claimed its first NCAA tournament victory in program history, 86-83 over UMBC in the First Four on Tuesday night. Bryce Harris hit a turnaround jumper with 13 seconds left, securing the win after UMBC's late rally. The Bison (24-10), led by Harris's 19 points and 14 rebounds, entered with an 0-4 record in March Madness.

UMBC (24-9), seeking its first tournament win since shocking Virginia in 2018, lost after Jah'Likah King's layup made it 85-83. Isaiah Brown's free throws sealed the Bison's trip to Buffalo as the No. 16 seed, facing top-seeded Michigan on Thursday. Coach Kenneth Blakeney guided Howard to the MEAC title and previous tournament appearances.