The Howard Bison are headed back to the NCAA Tournament and will open their March Madness run against the UMBC Retrievers in the First Four.
The matchup was revealed Sunday night during the Selection Sunday broadcast on CBS, as the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee unveiled the full 68-team bracket.
Howard enters the tournament as the MEAC champion, while UMBC represents the America East Conference after sweeping its regular season and tournament titles.
Before tipoff, here’s everything you need to know about the matchup, including betting odds, key players and how to watch.
Howard vs UMBC Betting Odds
According to BetMGM Sportsbook, the UMBC Retrievers are a 2.5-point favorite over the Howard Bison in the NCAA Tournament First Four matchup.
The relatively tight line reflects what many expect to be a competitive game between two conference champions fighting to advance into the main tournament bracket.
How to Watch Howard vs UMBC
Game: Howard vs UMBC
Event: NCAA Tournament – First Four
Date: Tuesday, March 17
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
TV Channel: truTV
The game will be part of the NCAA Tournament’s opening round coverage, airing nationally on truTV.
Howard Returns to the NCAA Tournament
Howard punched its ticket to March Madness after winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament title Saturday in Norfolk, Virginia.
The Bison defeated No. 3 seed North Carolina Central, 70-63, to claim the program’s third MEAC tournament title in four years.
It marked:
- Howard’s sixth conference tournament championship
- The fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history
Howard is led by seventh-year head coach Kenneth Blakeney, who has helped guide the program through one of the most successful stretches in its history.
Key Players for Howard
The Bison feature two of the MEAC’s top individual performers:
- Bryce Harris – MEAC Player of the Year (Brentwood, N.Y.)
- Cedric Taylor III – MEAC Defensive Player of the Year (Atlanta)
Their leadership on both ends of the floor has been a major factor in Howard’s postseason success this season.
Scouting the UMBC Retrievers
UMBC enters the tournament with a 24-8 overall record and a dominant 14-2 mark in America East play.
The Retrievers captured both the America East regular season and tournament titles, earning the conference’s automatic NCAA Tournament bid for the first time since 2018.
UMBC secured the championship by defeating Vermont, 74-59, in the conference tournament final.
UMBC Players to Watch
Several Retrievers received America East All-Conference honors:
- Jah’Likai King – First Team All-Conference
- DJ Armstrong Jr. – Second Team All-Conference
- Ace Valentine – Second Team All-Conference
Additional honors included:
- Caden Diggs – Sixth Man of the Year
- Jim Ferry – America East Coach of the Year
UMBC’s depth and offensive balance have helped fuel its strong season.
Howard vs UMBC Series History
Tuesday’s game will mark the fourth all-time meeting between the two programs.
UMBC won the most recent matchup, defeating Howard 95-77 on Nov. 25, 2024.
However, this will be the first time the two teams meet in the NCAA Tournament.
What’s at Stake
The winner of the First Four matchup will advance into the main NCAA Tournament bracket, keeping its March Madness run alive.
For Howard, it’s another opportunity to build on the program’s recent success and make noise on college basketball’s biggest stage.
For UMBC, it’s a chance to return to the national spotlight after its historic tournament run in 2018.