BUFFALO, N.Y. (March 18, 2026) – Howard University men's basketball team takes on Michigan in the NCAA Round of 64 Thursday night (March 19) at the Key Bank Center (19,200). Tipoff is slated for 7:10 p.m. (ET), live on CBS.
 
The streaking Bison enter the game with a nine-game win streak.
 
FOLLOW THE ACTION
 
Bison Nation can follow all the action on CBS.
 
LAST TIMEOUT
 
HOWARD
 
Tuesday (March 17), senior guard Ose Okojie (Brampton, Canada) scored a career-high 23 points to lead four Bison in double figures as HU defeated UMBC, 86-83, in the NCAA First Four at the University of Dayton Arena.
 
MICHIGAN
 
The third-ranked and top-seeded Wolverines fell to No. 18-ranked and seventh-seeded Purdue, 80-72, in the Big Ten Tournament championship game Sunday afternoon (March 15) at the United Center. Yaxel Lendeborg led Michigan with 20 points, including four three-pointers, and five rebounds.
 
SERIES RECORD
 
This is the second meeting between the two institutions with Michigan defeating the Bison, 78-56, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (November 11, 2016).
 
THE COACHES
 
Howard is coached by Kenneth Blakeney (Duke, '95), who is in his seventh season and has led the Bison to three MEAC Tournament titles and NCAA appearances in four years and first-ever first round NCAA victory.
 
Michigan is coached by Dusty May (Indiana, '00), who is in his second season at the helm.
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH
 
HU PROBABLE STARTERS
 
No.      Name                          Class                Position           2025-26 Stats                                    
34        Bryce Harris                Graduate        Guard              17.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg & 37 blocks
11        Ose Okojie                  Senior             Guard              10.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg & 57-percent FG%
2          Cam Gillus                  Junior              Guard              10.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg & 159 assists
4          Alex Cotton                 Junior              Guard              8.6 ppg, 3.1, rpg & 71 3FGM
12        Cedric Taylor III           Junior              Guard              17.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg & 81-percent FT%
 
HU KEY RESERVES
 
No.      Name                          Class                Position           2025-26 Stats                                    
13        Danas Kazakevicius     Freshman        Center             3.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg & 82-percent FT%
0          Isaiah Brown               R-Freshman    Guard              2.7 ppg & 47 assists
32        Travelle Bryson           Sophomore     Forward          8.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg & 82-percent FT%
 
MICHIGAN PROBABLE STARTERS
 
No.      Name                          Class                Position           2025-26 Stats                                    
23        Yaxel Lendeborg         Graduate        Forward          14.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg & 82-percent FT%
15        Aday Mara                  Junior              Center             11.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg & 67-percent FG%
4          Nimari Burnett           Graduate        Guard              8.3 ppg & 38-percent 3FG%
3          Elliott Cadeau             Junior              Guard              10.2 ppg& team-leading 189 assists
21        Morez Johnson           Sophomore     Forward          13.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg & 63-percent FG%
 
MICHIGAN KEY RESERVES
 
No.      Name                          Class                Position           2025-26 Stats                                    
1          Caden Diggs                Sophomore     Forward          9.8 ppg & 3.8 rpg
11        Roddy Gayle               Senior             Guard              7.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg & 45-percent FG%
42        Will Tschetter             Graduate        Forward          3.9 ppg
 
GAME NOTES
 
HOWARD
 
Nationally, the Bison are ranked in the following categories: tied for 10^th in turnovers forced per game; tied for 20^th in free throws made; 16^th in free throw attempts per game (25.5); 28^th in steals per game; 38^th in scoring defense (67.8 ppg) and 42^nd in scoring margin…Individually, graduate guard Bryce Harris (Brentwood, N.Y.) is tied for 44^th in free throws made and 45^th in free throws attempts…Howard head coach Kenneth Blakeney is a finalist for the Ben Jobe Award given to head coaches for their accomplishments…Harris was named the MEAC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP…Junior guard Cedric Taylor III (Atlanta) was named MEAC Defensive Player and Newcomer of the Year…Howard has a balanced scoring and rebounding attack of duo Harris and Taylor, each averaging 17.0 points and 7.0 rebounds, Okojie with 10.8 ppg…The Howard team boasts a 3.4 cumulative GPA…Okojie has been a key to the current surge by Howard, reaching double figures eight straight games and has boosted his average by tallying 60 points in the past four games (15.0 ppg)…Junior guard Cam Gillus (Falls Church, Va.) has also been a contributing factor by averaging 17.0 points while recording 17 dimes and only four turnovers in the past four games while logging an average 38.0 minutes…Junior guard Alex Cotton (Carrollton, Texas) has given the Bison three-point shooting with 14 made long balls in the past five games…Sophomore forward Travelle Bryson (Anderson, S.C.) has become instant offense, scoring 23 points off the bench in that past four games while logging an average 11.0 minutes…Howard's average margin of victory has been almost 20.0 points during its nine-game win streak.
 
MICHIGAN
 
Nationally, the high-scoring Wolverines rank high in several categories: second in field goal defense (38-percent); fifth in both assists (18.5) and blocks (5.9); eighth field goal shooting (51-percent) and rebounding margin and 11^th in scoring (86.8 ppg)…Elliott Cadeau ranks 35^th in the nation in assists (5.6)…Four of the Michigan starters average in double figures: Lendeborg (14.6); Morez Johnson (13.1); Aday Mara (11.6) and Elliott Cadeau (10.2)…May was named the Big 10 Coach of the Year…Aday Mayo was named the conference Defensive Player of the Year…Michigan reached the century mark in eight games this season.
 
NEXT UP
 
The winner advances to the Round of 32 where they will take on the winner between No. 8 Georgia or No. 9 Saint Louis.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.