First Four wins for HBCU list grows with Howard win

Howard University gave HBCU basketball another March moment to celebrate on Tuesday night, picking up a First Four win in the NCAA Tournament. It adding the Bison to a short but meaningful list of Black college programs that have earned a victory on the NCAA Tournament’s opening stage. 

The win was important for more than pride and visibility. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, a First Four victory now carries major financial value for a conference office. Thamel reported that the winner earns an additional NCAA tournament unit worth about $355,000 annually for six years, which comes out to roughly $2.1 million in total. For Howard’s win, that means a significant boost for the MEAC. 

Howard’s victory also pushed the all-time total of men’s HBCU wins in the First Four era higher. The all-time record for HBCUs in the First Four stands at 8-12 with Prairie View A&M set to play in the First Four on Wednesday.

Before Tuesday night, the NCAA’s own historical roundup listed North Carolina A&T’s 2013 win followed by Hampton in 2015. Texas Southern’s victories in 2018, 2021 and 2022 lead the way for HBCUs. Norfolk State picked up a win in 2021 triumph as well. Grambling State added its own win in 2024, with Alabama State following suit in 2025. Now, Howard University has joined that group in 2026. 

First Four has real march value

That history matters because the First Four has often been the doorway through which HBCU programs enter the national spotlight. These games may come before the traditional first round, but they still count in the record books. They also bring national exposure, and now, more than ever, they bring real money back to the conference. 

Texas Southern remains the gold standard in this space with three First Four wins in 2018, 2021 and 2022. North Carolina A&T, Hampton, Norfolk State, Alabama State and Grambling each previously did it once. Now Howard University has added its name to that list with a clutch win over UMBC. 

For Howard University, the victory was a March headline. For the MEAC, it was a financial win. And for HBCU basketball, it was another reminder that success in the First Four is about far more than surviving and advancing. It is also about building visibility, credibility and revenue on college basketball’s biggest stage.