Howard narrowly defeats UMBC for its first NCAA Tournament victory.

Howard Claims Historic NCAA Tournament Victory

DAYTON, Ohio — In a thrilling First Four matchup, Bryce Harris shined with 19 points and 14 rebounds, hitting a crucial jumper just 13 seconds from the end. This victory marked Howard’s first-ever win in the NCAA Tournament, as they triumphed over UMBC with an 86-83 score.

Next up for Howard is a formidable challenge against top-ranked Michigan, a team anticipated to be a strong contender for the championship.

Ose Okojie led the Bison (24-10) with a personal best of 23 points. Entering March Madness with a 0-4 record in past tournaments, Howard managed to fend off a late-game surge from the Retrievers (24-9).

“We’ve accomplished a lot as a program, but today we can proudly check the box for winning an NCAA game,” remarked Howard coach Kenneth Blakeney.

With 43 seconds remaining, DJ Armstrong Jr. nailed a 3-pointer that narrowed the gap to 83-81. Harris’s final jumper stretched Howard’s lead to four points as the shot clock dwindled, followed by a layup from Jarika King, bringing the score to 85-83.

Isaiah Brown succeeded in making one of his two free throws, but Armstrong’s attempt from beyond the arc at the buzzer fell short. This victory positions the Bison as a No. 16 seed in the Midwest Region, setting them on a path to Buffalo, New York, where they will face Michigan State on Thursday.

Reflecting on the game’s closing moments, Blakeney observed, “Run, time, run. I like to say we went from a three-possession game to a two-possession game to a one-possession game.”

Blakeney has previously guided Howard, an HBCU, to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships and NCAA appearances in 2023 and 2024.

For UMBC, the quest for another March Madness championship was motivated by memories of their 2018 upset over the top overall seed Virginia, which made history as the first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed. That year, the Retrievers exited in the second round during their first NCAA Tournament appearance, while Howard sits about 50 miles away in Baltimore.

UMBC was led by King with 19 points, supported by Armstrong with 17 and Kayden Diggs contributing 15 points.

Cedric Taylor III scored 16 points for Howard, executing a strong 9-of-10 from the free-throw line before fouling out in the waning moments of the game.

Dominating for most of the match, the Bison surged ahead by 13 points at halftime after Okojie’s 16-point first-half performance, leading at the break 49-41.

“For whatever reason, I told the guys, ‘This is the worst game we’ve played this year,'” UMBC coach Jim Ferry shared about his halftime address.

Harris, who was named MEAC Player of the Year with an average of 17.4 points, landed his second 3-pointer early in the second half, extending Howard’s lead to 61-48 before UMBC rallied back.