Howard University has officially checked the box. The Bison secured an 86-83 victory over UMBC in the NCAA First Four at University of Dayton Arena, marking the first NCAA Tournament win in school history. The win comes after years of postseason droughts and rebuilding for head coach Kenny Blakeney and the Biso, who reached a milestone on Tuesday night that had eluded the program for generations behind a career-high performance from senior guard Ose Okojie. The victory propels Howard (24-10) into a first-round Midwest Region matchup against No. 1 seed Michigan this Thursday in Buffalo, N.Y. The 24th win of the season also equals the 1986-87 team for the most wins in a single season in program history.

Okojie, a Brampton, Ontario, native, finished with 23 points to lead four Bison in double figures. He scored nine of Howard’s first 11 points, providing an early offensive cushion. Despite playing a significant portion of the second half with four fouls, Okojie remained on the floor to anchor the Bison defense.

"We’ve been in games like this before, we practice for these situations," Okojie said. "At this big stage, there’s no time for fear. There’s no time for worry. You’ve got to trust your work."

The Bison utilized a balanced scoring attack throughout the contest. MEAC Player of the Year Bryce Harris recorded a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds, along with five assists. His turnaround jumper late in the second half extended Howard’s lead to four with 13 seconds remaining. Cedric Taylor III contributed 15 points and six rebounds, while Travelle Bryson provided 11 points off the bench on 5-of-7 shooting.

When Blakeney took over the program in 2019, he inherited a team that had struggled with consistency for decades. After a four-win inaugural season and a second year limited to five games by the COVID-19 pandemic, Blakeney focused on shifting the program's culture.

"Howard was, like, for the last 20 years, the 354th-ranked team in the country," Blakeney said. "For me, that was great, because there was nothing else to do but go forward and make this a better program."

Howard led 49-41 at halftime and extended the lead to as many as 14 in the second half. However, UMBC cut the deficit to two late in the game. A final three-point attempt by Armstrong Jr. in the closing seconds missed, allowing Howard to secure the win.

The victory marked the seventh time that a team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, which currently features eight HBCUs, has won a game in the NCAA Tournament, although at least two of the previous winners, North Carolina A&T and Hampton University, have since left the conference.