March Madness is about to kick off.
The First Four kicks off with two No. 16 seeds, the UMBC Retrievers and the Howard Bison, clashing on Tuesday night in Dayton, Ohio. It’s their chance to either move forward or head home before the first round really gets underway.
UMBC is entering with a bit of momentum and a solid record, backed by a well-rounded offense, a winning streak, and the confidence of clinching the America East conference title. But Howard brings a strong defense and a recent uptick in scoring that led them to a MEAC title win.
As for the odds, UMBC is favored by 1.5 points to win and move on.
Here’s what you should know about the UMBC vs. Howard matchup:
- When: March 17th, 6:40 PM ET
- Where: UD Arena (Dayton, Ohio)
- Channel: TruTV
- Streaming: DirecTV
The winner will take the No. 16 seed in the Midwest Region and face No. 1 Michigan on Thursday, March 19th.
UMBC vs. Howard start time
The game is set for tipoff at 6:40 PM ET.
How to watch UMBC vs. Howard for free
If you don’t have cable, there are live TV streaming services available. DIRECTV offers a trial that lets you watch games for free, including truTV and other channels throughout March Madness. After the trial, a subscription starts at $59.99 for the first month.
If committing to a subscription feels too binding, consider a Sling TV one-day pass for $5.99, giving you 24-hour access to truTV and more. Sling also features weekend and week-long passes for their Orange plan.
The Post has a printable NCAA bracket with the entire 68-team field for March Madness 2026.
NCAA Tournament 2026 main dates
- Round 1: March 19th-20th
- Round 2: March 21st-22nd
- Sweet 16: March 26th-27th
- Elite 8: March 28th-29th
- Final 4: April 4th
- National Championship: April 6th
