March Madness always offers a ton of variety, and we don't need to even wait until the Round of 64 starts to get a matchup of contrasting styles, as evidenced tonight when the Howard Bison face the UMBC Retrievers to kick off the First Four.
The Retrievers are defensively stout and rarely give away easy points, which is why my UMBC vs. Howard predictions expect them to flex their defensive muscles.
My March Madness picks for Tuesday, March 17 are fading Howard's team total in what should be a hard-fought clash.
UMBC vs Howard prediction
Who will win UMBC vs Howard?
This spread opened with the UMBC Retrievers favored by 2.5 points, and it has slimmed to -1 since Selection Sunday. Game models all call for a very close contest in the First Four, but all give the nod to the Retrievers. I like UMBC to edge the Howard Bison in this style mismatch.
UMBC vs Howard best bet: Howard team total Under 70.5 (-120)
The Bison aren’t a great offensive team, especially when forced to slow down and play in the halfcourt.
They score by flipping turnovers into easy buckets and crashing the glass for offensive putbacks. About 42% of their output comes via those methods.
The Retrievers seem to be the perfect poison. They play a controlled tempo, take care of the basketball (22nd TOV), and clean the defensive glass at a Top 15 rate. Foes are limited in second-chance looks and points off turnovers.
Mix in a foreign venue at Dayton, and Howard has a tough time on offense tonight.
COVERS INTEL: UMBC averages 68 points against and hasn’t allowed an opponent to score 70 points or more in 14 straight, going back to late January.
UMBC vs Howard same-game parlay
The Retrievers can limit the Bison’s scoring by keeping them off the glass and taking care of the ball. They can also give Howard a taste of its own medicine, with UMBC sitting 33rd in steals and able to translate those into POTOV. The Bison barf up the ball at a dangerous rate.
Jah'likai King leads the UMBC assault and is great at getting to the foul line. He’s looking for retribution after an awful outing in the American East championship game. Game projections sit at 14+ points.
UMBC vs Howard SGP
- UMBC -1
- Howard team total Under 70.5
- Jah'likai King Over 12.5 points
Our Big Dance SGP: Hail to the King, Baby!
King had his worst game of the season last time out. He returns in a big way in the biggest contest of his career and punches UMBC’s ticket to the Big Dance.
UMBC vs Howard SGP
- UMBC -1
- Jah'likai King Over 2.5 rebounds
- Jah'likai King Over 1.5 assists
- Jah'likai King Over 1.5 3-pointers
UMBC vs Howard odds
- Spread: UMBC -1 | Howard +1
- Moneyline: UMBC -110 | Howard -110
- Over/Under: Over 140.5 | Under 140.5
UMBC vs Howard betting trend to know
UMBC has covered the spread in 14 of its last 16 games (+11.80 Units/67% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for UMBC vs. Howard.
How to watch UMBC vs Howard
| Location | UD Arena, Dayton, OH |
| Date | Tuesday, March 17, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 6:40 p.m. ET |
| TV | truTV |
UMBC vs Howard key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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