Michigan basketball’s first tournament opponent just won their first NCAA tournament game.
The No. 1 seed Wolverines will face No. 16 seed Howard Beason in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 19 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Howard achieved this result by defeating UMBC 86-83 in the first four rounds.
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The Wolverines have a long history of making NCAA tournament appearances, while their opponents do not.
How it happened: Howard beats UMBC 86-83, will face Michigan in March Madness
The historically black university from the nation’s capital is heading to its fifth NCAA tournament, but the Bison just earned their first-ever tournament win on Tuesday. Despite the school’s otherwise proud history, their chances of a second win over the No. 1-seeded Wolverines look pretty low.
Here’s what you need to know about Howard University.
Where is Howard?
Howard University is a private HBCU located in Washington.
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What you need to know about Howard basketball
The Bison compete in the MEAC and have an 11-2 record in conference play in the 2025-26 season. Head coach Kenneth Blakeney has coached the Bison since the 2019-20 season and has led the Bison to the NCAA Tournament in three of the past four years. Before Blakeney, Howard had only been to prom twice.
More: Michigan star Lundborg says he turned down higher offer from Kentucky
Howard’s stats
Data comes from U.S. News & World Report.
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Undergraduate Admissions: 11,519.
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Tuition and Fees: $38,936.
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Key points: Business, Social Sciences, Communication.
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You can contact Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared in the Detroit Free Press: A look at Howard University ahead of March Madness game against Michigan
