UMBC vs. Howard prediction: Howard favored to win men's March Madness First Four matchup [3/17/2026]

Howard will square off with UMBC in March Madness First Four action at UD Arena on Tuesday, commencing at 6:40 PM ET.

Based on updated simulations, Dimers' advanced college basketball model predicts Howard as the most likely winner of the UMBC vs. Howard game.

This article offers a closer look at Tuesday's matchup, including an expanded look at the predicted score, best bets and picks.

UMBC vs. Howard prediction: Who will win and advance to the First Round?

Using powerful machine learning and data, we have simulated the outcome of Tuesday's NCAAM Tournament matchup between UMBC and Howard 10,000 times as part of our men's college basketball predictions coverage.

Our famous predictive model gives Howard a 55% chance of defeating UMBC. Our predicted final score has Howard winning 74-72.

According to our model, Howard (+1.5) has a 57% chance of covering the spread, while the over/under total of 144.5 points has a 53% chance of going over.

UMBC vs. Howard odds

We have researched the best men's college basketball odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

Bet Type	UMBC	Howard
Spread	-1.5 (+104)	+1.5 (-128)
Moneyline	-105	-112
Total	o144.5 (-110)	u144.5 (-110)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

UMBC vs. Howard picks and best bet

After matching our probabilities against the best current odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

Bet Type	Pick	Bet Now
Spread	Howard +1.5	-128
Moneyline	Howard	-112
Total	Over 144.5	-110

According to our best men's college basketball bets, the top play to make on this game is Howard to win.

These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the sportsbook odds.

UMBC vs. Howard game-day updates and essential details

Tuesday's men's college basketball game between Howard and UMBC at UD Arena is scheduled to start at 6:40 PM ET.

• Who: UMBC vs. Howard
• Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2026
• Time: 6:40 PM ET/3:40PM PT
• Venue: UD Arena
• March Madness stage: First Four

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Conclusion

We predict Howard, with a 55% win probability, will likely beat UMBC this men's March Madness First Four matchup.

AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate UMBC vs. Howard insights, with human oversight ensuring high editorial quality. Our predictions are based on up-to-date data to help you make informed decisions. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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