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Howard University will be playing Michigan in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 19 in Buffalo, New York.
Michigan basketball's first tournament opponent has just won its first NCAA tournament game. The 1-seed Wolverines will play the 16-seed Howard Bison in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 19, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Howard beat UMBC 86-83 in the First Four round of the tournament to get to this point.
The Wolverines have a long history of NCAA tournament appearances, and their opponent, well, does not. HOW IT HAPPENED: Howard holds off UMBC 86-83, will play Michigan in March Madness The historically Black university from the nation's capital is making its fifth NCAA tournament appearance, but the Bison just notched their first tournament win ever on Tuesday. And though the school has a proud history in other regards, the likelihood of them notching their second win against the 1-seed Wolverines looks pretty low.
Here's what you need to know about Howard University. Where is Howard? Howard University is a private HBCU located in Washington.
What to know about Howard basketball The Bison play in the MEAC and went 11-2 in conference play in the 2025-26 season. Head coach Kenneth Blakeney has coached the Bison since the 2019-20 season and has brought the Bison to the NCAA tournament in three out of the past four years. Before Blakeney, Howard had only been to the dance twice.