Howard Bison vs. UMBC Retrievers Bracket Prediction: March Madness First Four Odds
It’s finally here. The Super Bowl was underwhelming, and the Winter Olympics aren’t for everybody. But March Madness is a sporting event everyone can join in on.
The brackets and schedule are set, and everything kicks off Tuesday night in Dayton with the first two First Four games.
America East champions UMBC (24-8, 14-2) take on Howard (23-10, 11-3), winners of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, at 6:40 p.m. ET.
This is the third time in four years the Bison have won the MEAC Tournament.
Meanwhile, UMBC is back in the Big Dance for the first time since 2018, when it shocked the world and became the first No. 16-seeded men’s team to eliminate a No.1 seed when it handily defeated Virginia, 74-54.
Howard Bison vs. UMBC Retrievers NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
Both teams had a spectacular year against the spread. The Retrievers were 19-11 ATS and are currently on a 6-0 ATS streak.
UMBC, currently listed as 1.5-point favourites on the March Madness odds, is 20-2 straight up this season in that position.
Howard is just 4-5 straight up as an underdog, but it is on an 11-1 straight up and against the spread run right now. The Bison are 21-8 ATS this season and 6-0 ATS in their last six games as dogs.
Howard Bison
Coach Kenny Blakney’s squad has won 11 of 12 coming into the tournament, including a 70-63 victory over North Carolina Central in the MEAC championship game.
The Bison were led by their two top scorers, who both posted double-doubles. Bryce Harris (17.1 ppg, 6.9 REB.) had 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Cedric Taylor III (17.1 ppg, 6.7 REB.) added 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Cam Gillus (10.6 ppg, 4.6 AST.) contributed 14 points and six rebounds, and Ose Okojie (10.5 ppg) had 14 points.
And that is Howard’s blueprint right there. Get their four double-digit scorers going, be disciplined on defence, and don’t turn the ball over.
UMBC Retrievers
The Retrievers are rolling on a 12-game win streak that included three impressive victories as the top-seed last week in the America East Tournament.
UMBC bulldozed through New Hampshire, UMass Lowell, and conference rivals Vermont to win its first tournament title in eight years.
The team relies on three guards: Jah’likai King (14.3 ppg), DJ Armstrong (12.6 ppg), and Ace Valentine (11.9 ppg, 4.0 AST). Valentine averaged 17 points in the tournament, while Armstrong went 7-for-9 from three and scored a career-high 33 points in the team’s championship game.
Jose Roberto Tanchyn, a 6-foot-10 junior from Cordoba, Spain, has solidified the interior since moving to the starting lineup in January. He leads the team with 5.7 rebounds per game.
March Madness Prediction: Who Will Win Howard vs. UMBC?
It was mildly shocking when UMBC’s name did not pop up as either a 16 or even a 15 seed, playing first on Thursday or Friday.
It has since been pointed out that the Retrievers played one of the easiest schedules in the country. Unfortunately for Howard, they did too. The Bison took Wagner to the wire in a 71-68 defeat the last time they played in the First Four two years ago.
Blakney’s squad has tournament experience, but UMBC has the more talented squad. Look for the Retrievers to win and cover the spread, 74-58.