Prairie View A&M isn't leaving Dayton empty-handed. In a high-stakes showdown at University of Dayton Arena, the Panthers shut down the Lehigh Mountain Hawks 67-55 on Wednesday night, earning the first NCAA Tournament victory in the history of the program. The win officially moves the Panthers into the Round of 64, where they will look to carry this momentum into a clash with one of the nation's top programs.

The victory was fueled by a dominant offensive display from Dontae Horne and Cory Wells. Horne was a force all night, finishing with a game-high 25 points, seven rebounds, and four steals. Wells was just as impactful, dominating the boards to finish with a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. Lance Williams provided the defensive edge and additional scoring needed to keep the lead safe, chipping in 10 points and two blocks.

After a tight first half that saw the Panthers trailing 29-27, Prairie View A&M found another gear in the second period. With 8:36 remaining and the game still in the balance at 43-41, the Panthers ignited an 8-0 run. A jumper from Wells capped the surge, pushing the lead to 10 and effectively taking the air out of Lehigh’s comeback hopes. The Panthers' defense did the rest, forcing 16 turnovers and converting them into 18 points.

Protecting the rim was a clear priority, as the Panthers recorded nine blocks as a team and held Lehigh to just 36.2% shooting from the field. By winning the battle in the paint 22-14, Prairie View A&M ensured that Lehigh never found the interior rhythm necessary to mount a late run.

With this historic win in the books, Prairie View A&M (19-17) now turns its attention to a Friday night showdown against the No. 1 seed Florida Gators at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, with tip-off scheduled for 9:25 p.m. ET.