UMBC men’s basketball earned a No. 16 seed in the Midwest region and will face Howard in the First Four play-in round of the NCAA Tournament in Dayton, Ohio, on March 17, creating a Baltimore-D.C. battle for the right to play No. 1 seed Michigan in Buffalo two days later.
UMBC (24-8) is one of the hottest teams in the country, having won 12 games in a row by an average of 16.8 points. Most recently, the Retrievers defeated Vermont, 74-59, in Catonsville for the America East championship with graduate wing DJ Armstrong Jr. willing UMBC to the finish line.
The Retrievers will now face MEAC champion Howard, which finished 23-10 overall and defeated North Carolina Central, 70-63, in the conference title game on March 14. This marks the third time in four years Howard has made it to the NCAA Tournament under head coach Kenny Blakeney. The Bison are led by graduate guard Bryce Harris (17.1 points, 6.9 rebounds per game) and junior guard Cedric Taylor III (17.1 points, 6.7 rebounds).
“We’ll find out who we get on [March 15] and then we’ll practice and go after it,” UMBC fifth-year coach Jim Ferry said after the win against the Catamounts. “We’ve been playing some of the best basketball in the country. Twelve in a row we just won. I didn’t think we played as well [against Vermont], but we were tough as hell. We’ll figure out who we get, and then I’m sure they’re not going to feel very comfortable.”
This is UMBC’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since the Retrievers became the first No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in 2018, when UMBC defeated Virginia, 74-54. Jairus Lyles etched his name into March lore with a 28-point performance against the Cavaliers.
It’s the third time in program history the Retrievers have gone dancing and also the third time for Ferry as a Division I head coach. He took LIU to the NCAA Tournament in 2010-11 and 2011-12.
“I’ve been to the NCAA Tournament. I’ve done it at different places, but because these guys are so special, I wanted it so badly for them — so badly for them,” Ferry said. “When you’ve got a group like this and you win a championship, this group will stay connected for the rest of their lives, and I wanted them to experience that.”
Be sure to check out PressBox’s UMBC men’s hoops content from throughout the 2025-26 season:
Q&A With UMBC Men’s Basketball’s Ace Valentine
UMBC Men’s Basketball’s DJ Armstrong Jr. Breaks Down Game-Winner At Morgan State
UMBC Men’s Basketball Has Slowed The Game Down … And It’s Working
UMBC Men’s Basketball Hits The Right Notes On And Off The Court
Baltimore Hoops Notebook: UMBC Men’s Basketball Closing In On Top Seed Thanks To Defense
After Tough Meeting, Ace Valentine Takes Step Forward With UMBC Men’s Basketball
Jah’Likai King’s Offseason Gains Paying Off With UMBC Men’s Basketball
UMBC Men’s Basketball Beats Vermont For America East Title, Heads To NCAA Tournament
Photo Credit: Courtesy of UMBC Athletics