Michigan Wolverines Prep for NCAA Tournament Opener vs. Howard

Inside the locker room as the top-seeded Wolverines get ready for their first-round matchup.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 1:35am

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The Michigan Wolverines, the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, are wrapping up their preparations for their opening-round game against No. 16 seed Howard on Thursday night in Buffalo, New York. Our reporter was granted access to the Michigan locker room and press conference with head coach Dusty May to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the team is getting ready for the big game.

Why it matters

The Wolverines are one of the top contenders to win the NCAA championship this year, so their performance in the tournament opener will be closely watched. A loss to a lower-seeded team like Howard would be a major upset, so Michigan will be heavily favored and under pressure to advance to the next round.

The details

Michigan's players were focused and intense as they went through their final practice and pregame preparations. Head coach Dusty May emphasized the need to avoid overlooking Howard and to come out strong from the opening tip. The team reviewed scouting reports on Howard's key players and game plan, and worked on specific strategies to counter the underdog's strengths.

  • The Michigan Wolverines will face the Howard Bison on Thursday, March 20, 2026 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Buffalo, New York.

The players

Dusty May

The head coach of the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“We can't take Howard lightly. They earned their spot in the tournament and we know they'll be hungry to pull off the upset. We have to bring our 'A' game from the opening tip.”

— Dusty May, Head Coach

What’s next

If Michigan defeats Howard, they will advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament to face the winner of the matchup between the 8th and 9th seeds in their region.

The takeaway

The top-seeded Michigan Wolverines are focused and determined to avoid an early upset in the NCAA Tournament, knowing they will have to bring their best effort to get past a dangerous Howard team in the opening round.