Michigan Beats Howard After Big 2nd Half, Updated Path to Final Four in March Madness

No. 1 seed Michigan overcame a slow start to take down No. 16 seed Howard by the final score of 101-80 in the first round of the 2026 NCAA tournament on Thursday.

The Wolverines only led by four points at halftime, but outscored Howard 51-34 in the second half to punch their ticket to the second round.

Michigan is three wins away from coming out of the Midwest Region and clinching a Final Four appearance. The Wolverines will face the winner of Thursday night's clash between Georgia and Saint Louis in the second round.

Michigan started Thursday's contest on a high note, opening the first quarter with a 16-6 lead.

The Wolverines maintained a 45-34 edge with two minutes left in the first half, but Howard closed the half on a 12-5 run to keep the game from getting out of hand.

While the Bison pulled to within two points early in the second half, Michigan looked much sharper on both ends of the floor over the final 20 minutes of game time.

The Wolverines already held a 63-56 lead with just over 16 minutes remaining in the contest before going on a 14-3 run that allowed them to cruise to the victory. Head coach Dusty May's squad eventually led by as many as 31 points.

Michigan won with a balanced offensive approach, as five different players recorded a double-digit scoring total.

The Wolverines were led by Morez Johnson Jr., who finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds while hitting all eight of his shot attempts. Aday Mara also chipped in with 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 21 minutes on the court.

Michigan shot 67.3 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from three-point territory as a team, dishing out 27 assists compared to 10 turnovers.

Despite the narrow halftime margin, the Wolverines have plenty of momentum heading into the Round of 32.