Howard, Texas open the First Four round with triumphs

Bryce Harris had 19 points and 14 rebounds, and he sank a turnaround jumper with 13 seconds remaining that sent Howard to its first NCAA tournament victory in program history, 86-83 over Maryland Baltimore County in the First Four in Dayton, Ohio.

- WIRE REPORTS

Ose Okojie scored a career-high 23 points to lead the Bison (24-10), who entered with an 0-4 record in March Madness and had to hold off a late rally by the Retrievers (24-9).

“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 Tuesday’s victory.

DJ Armstrong Jr's three-pointer with 43 seconds left got UMBC within 83-81. After Harris’ jumper as the shot clock expired gave Howard a four-point lead, Jah' Likah King made a layup to make it 85-83.

Isaiah Brown made one of two free throws and Armstrong couldn't convert a three at the buzzer, sealing a trip to Buffalo, N. Y., for the Bison, who enter the Midwest Region bracket as the No. 16 seed and will face top-seeded Michigan on Thursday.

“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.”