Howard and UMBC will play in the First Four on Tuesday, March 17, to determine who earns the No. 16 seed in the Midwest Region. The winner will face No. 1 Michigan in the first round.
The Retrievers are 1.5-point favorites, while the Bison are +100 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is set at 142.5 points.
Howard vs. UMBC opening odds
UMBC will forever be remembered for being the first No. 16 seed to knock off a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Retrievers made history in 2018, but they haven’t been dancing since. UMBC gets a First Four date with Howard after finishing the season on a 12-game win streak. The Retrievers lost eight games this season, but just two came in the conference schedule. A strong non-conference schedule seemed to prepare the team for this moment.
Howard is becoming a regular attendant in March Madness, as it’s reached the Big Dance for the third time in four seasons. It’s appearance is contingent on winning its conference tournament, but that hasn’t been an issue in recent years. Experience is invaluable in the NCAA Tournament, especially in close games. The Bison ended the season on an eight-game win streak, scoring at least 78 points in seven of those victories.
