Michigan basketball cruises past Howard in NCAA tournament opener

For the second time on Thursday, a 1-seed took the court against a 16-seed, but Michigan basketball certainly hoped that it would be an easier go against Howard than it was for Duke against Siena earlier in the day. The game in Buffalo opened up with a quick alley-oop to Aday Mara, but the Bison answered. The Wolverines went to the line twice in the early going and scored three of four attempts.

Yaxel Lendeborg hit a 3 to push the Michigan lead 8-2. Howard struggled to get much going offensively, but Niagara Falls native Roddy Gayle Jr. drained the second 3 of the game.

Nimari Burnett piled on with another, and it was 14-6 with 14:37 remaining in the first half. That would be the score at the under-16 media timeout, with Morez Johnson Jr. set for two free throws after.

Johnson hit both free throws, but Michigan then gave up a 3 to Cedric Taylor III and then promptly turned the ball over -- the third of the game. Travelle Bryson hit a 3 after Mara and Gayle made a handful of plays. The Wolverines kept threatening to open up a big lead (getting up to 10), but Cam Gillus hit back-to-back 3s, and it was a 26-20 Michigan lead at the under-12 media timeout.