NCAA First Four: Longhorns Advance in a Thriller and Howard Makes History with First March Madness Victory

Texas Survives Late Scare, Advances Past NC State in First Four

Texas survived a late scare to punch its ticket into the Round of 64, holding off NC State 68–66 in a tense First Four matchup in Dayton. With a nine-point lead slipping away in the final minutes, the Longhorns turned to Tramon Mark, who delivered in crunch time with two tough, clutch baskets to seal the win.

Mark delivers in crunch time

The game was tight throughout, with Texas creating separation at several points — including a 10-point edge in the first half — only for NC State to respond each time. It looked like the Longhorns had finally taken control when Chendall Weaver knocked down two free throws to make it 62–53 with under three minutes remaining. But the Wolfpack refused to go away.

NC State ramped up the pressure with a full-court press, completely disrupting Texas’ rhythm. Turnovers — already an issue all game — became critical, as the Longhorns struggled with spacing and decision-making under pressure. It was a theme head coach Sean Miller had already pointed out earlier: Texas simply gave away too many possessions at key moments.

Texas holds on and advances

In the end, Texas found just enough composure to close it out. In his first season with the program, Miller guides the Longhorns out of the play-in round once again, leaning on late-game execution to survive and advance into the main bracket.

Dramatic finish caps breakthrough performance

Howard University basketball reached a milestone that had eluded the program for decades. The Bison (24-10) captured their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory with an 86-83 triumph over UMBC in the First Four at Dayton, Ohio, ending an 0-4 March Madness record that had haunted the historically Black university.

Bryce Harris delivered when it mattered most, recording 19 points and 14 rebounds while sinking the game-deciding turnaround jumper with 13 seconds remaining. The MEAC Player of the Year, who averaged 17.4 points during the season, stepped up in the clutch moments that define March Madness.

« We’ve done a lot of things in our program, but let’s check off the box of winning an NCAA game today, » Howard coach Kenneth Blakeney said after the victory.

Ose Okojie provided the offensive spark with a career-high 23 points, including 16 in the first half that helped establish a 49-41 halftime advantage. The Bison controlled most of the contest, leading for all but the opening 1:21 and building a 13-point first-half cushion.

The final minutes tested Howard’s resolve as UMBC mounted a desperate comeback attempt. DJ Armstrong Jr.’s 3-pointer with 43 seconds left cut the deficit to 83-81, setting up a frantic finish. After Harris’ clutch jumper as the shot clock expired, Jah’Likah King’s layup made it 85-83, keeping the Retrievers within striking distance.

« Run, clock, run, » Blakeney said of his thoughts in the final moments. « We went from, I want to say, a three-possession game to a two-possession game to a one-possession game. »

Isaiah Brown‘s free throw sealed the victory after Armstrong’s potential game-tying 3-pointer missed at the buzzer. The triumph sends Howard to Buffalo as the No. 16 seed in the Midwest Region, where they’ll face top-seeded Michigan on Thursday.

For UMBC (24-9), the loss ended hopes of repeating their 2018 magic when they became the first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1, stunning Virginia in one of March Madness’ greatest upsets. King led the Retrievers with 19 points, while Armstrong contributed 17 and Caden Diggs added 15.

The victory represents another milestone for Blakeney, who previously led Howard to MEAC titles and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2023 and 2024, establishing the program as a consistent contender among historically Black colleges and universities.