Bryce Harris recorded 19 points and 14 rebounds, sinking a turnaround jumper with 13 seconds left to secure Howard University's first-ever NCAA Tournament victory, an 86-83 win over UMBC in the First Four on Tuesday night.
Ose Okojie scored a career-high 23 points for the Bison (24-10), who had entered the tournament with an 0-4 record. Howard had to withstand a late rally by the Retrievers (24-9), who cut the lead to 83-81 on a three-pointer by DJ Armstrong Jr with 43 seconds remaining. After Harris's jumper, Jah'Likah King made a layup to make it 85-83. Isaiah Brown hit one of two free throws, and Armstrong missed a three at the buzzer.
The victory sends Howard, a No 16 seed, to Buffalo, New York, where they will face top-seeded Michigan in the Midwest Region on Thursday. Coach Kenneth Blakeney has led the historically Black university to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in 2023 and 2024, along with the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title.
UMBC was seeking its first March Madness win since famously upsetting top overall seed Virginia in 2018. King led the Retrievers with 19 points, Armstrong added 17, and Caden Diggs scored 15.
