WASHINGTON (March 17, 2024) - The NCAA Men's Basketball Committee rolled out its 68-team bracket and the Howard University men's basketball team drew No. 16 Wagner in the First Four. The announcement came Sunday night during the Selection Sunday show on CBS.
 
HU takes on the Seahawks (16-15, 7-9 NEC) for first time during the Big Dance, second meeting all-time. Wagner defeated the Bison, 79-54, during the 1997-98 season.
 
Wagner won the Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament for the first time since 2003, knocking off No. 2 Merrimack in OT, 54-47; earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Seahawks became the first NEC team to win three road games en route to a conference championship, running the perpetual gauntlet by defeating No. 3 Sacred Heart and No. 1 Central Connecticut State before dethroning the reigning NEC Champion Warriors.
 
All-NEC First Team selection junior Melvin Council, Jr. leads the Seahawks, averaging 15.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists during the regular season.
 
Saturday (March 16), HU won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament title for the second consecutive year, defeating No. 6 Delaware State, 70-67, in Norfolk, Va. It is the fifth-ever conference tournament win in Howard's history and the program's fourth-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
 
Howard is led by All-MEAC selections Bryce Harris (Brentwood, N.Y.), Marcus Dockery (Washington) and Seth Towns (Columbus, Ohio).
 
Bison head coach Kenneth Blakeney is in his fifth season at the helm.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.