The opening First Four contests of the 2026 Men’s College Basketball Tournament were played on Tuesday night, officially kicking off March Madness and bringing us closer to a complete picture of the round of 64.
Howard earns first-ever March Madness victory
Bryce Harris had 19 points and 14 rebounds, and he sank a turnaround jumper with 13 seconds remaining that sent Howard to its first NCAA Tournament victory in program history, 86-83 over UMBC in the First Four on Tuesday night.
Ose Okojie scored a career-high 23 points to lead the Bison (24-10), who entered with an 0-4 record in March Madness and had to hold off a late rally by the Retrievers (24-9).
“We’ve done a lot of things in our program, but let’s check off the box of winning an NCAA game today,” Howard coach Kenneth Blakeney said.
DJ Armstrong Jr.‘s 3-pointer with 43 seconds left got UMBC within 83-81. After Harris’ jumper as the shot clock expired gave Howard a four-point lead, Jah’Likah King made a layup to make it 85-83.
[MEN’S TOURNEY: 1 Thing To Know About Every Men’s Team]
Isaiah Brown made one in all two free throws and Armstrong couldn’t convert a 3 on the buzzer, sealing a visit to Buffalo, New York, for the Bison, who enter the Midwest Area bracket because the No. 16 seed and can face top-seeded Michigan on Thursday.
“Run, clock, run,” Blakeney stated of his ideas within the last moments. “We went from, I wish to say, a three-possession recreation to a two-possession recreation to a one-possession recreation.”
Blakeney additionally led Howard, one of many nation’s premier traditionally Black universities, to the Mid-Jap Athletic Convention title and NCAA Match appearances in 2023 and ’24.
UMBC was in search of its first March Insanity win because it shocked high total seed Virginia in 2018, turning into the primary No. 16 seed to knock off a No. 1. The Retrievers misplaced within the second spherical that yr and this was the primary NCAA Match look since for the suburban Baltimore faculty, situated 31 miles north of the Howard campus in Washington.
King led UMBC with 19 factors, Armstrong had 17 and Caden Diggs scored 15.
Cedric Taylor III scored 16 factors for Howard, going 9 of 10 on the free-throw line earlier than fouling out within the last minute.
The Bison led for all however the first 1:21 and took a 13-point lead within the first half. Okojie scored 16 factors earlier than halftime, serving to the Bison to a 49-41 benefit on the break.
“I stated, ‘Guys, that is the worst we’ve performed all yr,’ for regardless of the motive,” UMBC coach Jim Ferry stated of his halftime message.
Harris, the MEAC participant of the yr who averaged 17.4 factors, hit his second 3-pointer of the evening to present Howard a 61-48 lead early within the second half earlier than UMBC rallied.
“We’ve been in video games like this earlier than,” Okojie stated. “At this massive stage, there’s no time for concern. There is no time for fear.”
Okojie stays disciplined amid foul hassle
Okojie picked up his fourth foul with 12:33 left and the Retrievers began placing the squeeze on the Bison, establishing the tense end.
“My teammates want me,” Okojie stated. “So to be stable and play these 12 minutes with not fouling is self-discipline, really self-discipline, and trusting in my skills.”
Flight delay might have hindered UMBC
UMBC’s flight to Dayton, initially scheduled for midday on Monday, was delayed greater than 4 hours as a result of extreme climate. The staff finally arrived shortly earlier than 6 p.m.
“I’m not going accountable something,” Ferry stated. “However clearly the day we had (Monday) and never with the ability to actually follow and eat and — I believed it damage us. We couldn’t transfer.”
Up subsequent
Howard faces a formidable opponent in Michigan, which hung out at No. 1 within the AP ballot this season and is predicted to contend for the title.
Texas hits late shot to safe First 4 W
Tramon Mark hit a fadeaway jumper from simply contained in the 3-point line with 1.1 seconds left, and Texas survived a late rally to beat N.C. State 68-66 on Tuesday evening in a First 4 matchup of energy convention groups that limped into March Insanity.
Mark scored 17 factors to steer the Longhorns (19-14), who had misplaced 5 of six getting into the NCAA Match. Texas moved into the bracket because the No. 11 seed within the West area and can face sixth-seeded BYU on Thursday evening in Portland, Oregon.
“Whenever you lose the final couple, what you don’t need is a continuation of holding on to these adverse emotions,” Longhorns coach Sean Miller stated. “It was not straightforward. We practiced a pair days not understanding if we have been within the event, took a pair days off. We got here up right here with a transparent thoughts, a very good spirit.”
The Longhorns led 62-53 on Chendall Weaver’s two free throws with 2:56 left, however the Wolfpack (20-14) — who additionally misplaced 5 of six earlier than getting despatched to Dayton — scored 10 factors in a span of 1:12. Paul McNeil Jr. hit two 3s earlier than Mark beat the shot clock with a fadeaway.
[MEN’S BRACKET: NCAA Tournament Bracket, Leaders & Stats]
Darrion Williams linked from deep to get N.C. State inside one. The Wolfpack then pressured a turnover by Dailyn Swain, and Tre Holloman made one in all two free throws to tie it at 66-all.
Texas ran down a lot of the recreation clock earlier than Mark linked from 19 toes, and N.C. State couldn’t get a shot off earlier than the buzzer.
“This one is unquestionably a primary for me, simply the best way the sport was going, the best way the sport felt,” Mark stated. “We had a giant lead; they began making some pictures. Then I used to be capable of silence the gang with a giant shot like that.”
Mark completed with 17 factors, Matas Vokietaitis scored 15 and Swain added 13 for the Longhorns. Weaver had his first profession double-double with 11 factors and 10 rebounds.
Williams led the Wolfpack with 21 factors. Quadir Copeland scored 16 and McNeil completed with 11.
“You might be who you’re in strain moments,” Wolfpack coach Will Wade stated. “We tried to masks some stuff and we couldn’t do it. That’s why we’re right here, and that’s why we’re heading residence.”
It was the second assembly this season between the faculties. Texas beat N.C. State 102-97 on Nov. 26 to say fifth place within the Maui Invitational. Tuesday evening’s recreation was extra of a defensive wrestle.
The Longhorns constructed a 25-15 lead however then went scoreless over the ultimate 4:06 of the primary half. The Wolfpack completed the half on a 14-5 run to chop their deficit to 30-29 at halftime.
Deja vu
Swain performed for Xavier below Miller in final yr’s First 4 when the Musketeers beat the Longhorns in a equally tight recreation, 86-80. Miller took the Texas job 5 days later and Swain adopted him to Austin.
“Similar feeling, two nice video games, two video games I additionally didn’t play my finest in,” Swain stated. “I don’t know if it’s the world or what, however all of us stored our composure. They hit actually powerful pictures and Coach Miller calmed us down like, hey, we’re going to win this recreation.”
Retool
N.C. State is going through one other offseason rebuild by way of the switch portal with seven seniors on the roster.
“Nicely, they’re disenchanted, and we’ll actually assist them as they transfer ahead,” Wade stated. “Our focus goes to show to creating positive we get the best guys to return in and assist us win sooner or later.”
Up subsequent
Texas is the third faculty Miller has taken to March Insanity, and he’ll have to plot a plan to include the most effective gamers within the nation, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa.
The Remaining First 4
16-seed Prairie View A&M (18-17) takes on 16-seed Lehigh (18-16) at 6:40 p.m. ET on Wednesday, whereas 11-seed Miami (OH) (31-1) faces 11-seed SMU (20-13) at 9:15 p.m. ET.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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