The Howard Bison put forth a valiant effort in the First Four round of the NCAA Tournament, but they fell short to the Wagner Seahawks, 71-68. Howard entered the game with high hopes after defeating Delaware State in the MEAC championship game. The game before, they vanquished the top-seeded Norfolk State, 80-74.

At the beginning of the broadcast, both announcers highlighted the differing styles of play between Howard and Wagner. The Seahawks, improbable champions of the Northeast Conference (NEC), are known for their slow, methodical pace on offense. Howard, on the other hand, is a run-and-gun team, ranking in the top 20th nationwide in three-point percentage.

Those styles did not quite hold up in the first half of the game. Instead of a steady pace from Wagner, the Seahawks punched the Bison in the mouth. Star guard Melvin Council Jr. led his team to an early lead. Halfway through the opening half, Wagner acquired their first double-digit lead of the game. Through 10 minutes of play, Howard mustered a measly 10 points. Wagner's defense was good, but the Bison struggled heavily from long-range, a trend that persisted for most of the game.

The Seahawks hovered around a 10-point lead for the rest of the half, slowly returning to their more methodical offensive approach instead of the explosive drives from Council that buoyed them in the first 10 minutes. Council was everywhere for the Seahawks, posting 11 points, five assists, three rebounds, and two steals in the opening half. Shortly before halftime, Howard went on a 7-3 run to cut the lead to seven, but Council and teammate Julian Brown make consecutive shots to extend the lead back to double figures. The Seahawks led 38-27 at the break.

In the second half, Wagner very clearly switched back to their normal style of play. For essentially the entire second half, they drained the shot clock on each offensive possession. They ran their sets over and over until the right opportunity arose, refraining from taking poor shots. Impressively, the Seahawks only carried seven players on their bench. Three players (Council, Brown, Javier Ezquerra) played all 40 minutes. Despite the heavy workload and drawn out possessions, the Seahawks never looked tired.

Wagner's strategy worked for nearly all of the second half. Coming out of the break, the Seahawks went on a 10-4 run, opening a 48-31 lead over Howard. The Bison continued to struggle from all over the offensive end of the floor until Marcus Dockery got them going. First, he dished an assist to Jordan Hairston for a three-pointer. He then made an and-one and knocked down the free throw, bringing Howard within single digits. Dockery recorded another assist to Isiah Warfield for a jumper, who then found Hairston on another possession for another three-pointer, bringing the score down to a manageable 54-47. Howard's 13-4 run stagnated with a 5-0 burst from Wagner, but they kept chipping away at the lead.

The Seahawks eventually rebuilt a 13-point lead with 3:21 remaining. Once again, Dockery injected the Bison with life by hitting a crucial three-pointer. Ohio State transfer Seth Towns followed his teammate with a three-ball of his own, making it a 67-60 game. A pair of free throws from MEAC Player of the Year candidate Bryce Harris brought the game within five, but Wagner retaliated with a basket from Council. Undeterred, the Bison went back to work.

Warfield got the ball on a fast break and “made” a layup – the ball bounced off the rim, but a Wagner player touched it, resulting in a goal tend. After another rare turnover from the Seahawks, Warfield streaked down the court for another easy basket. Howard's defense turned up the pressure and forced Council into a missed shot, and on the other end, Harris went to work at the basket. He finished a layup that brought Howard within a single point, 69-68.

The Bison sent Brown to the free throw line, and he sunk both shots. On their final possession, Howard got three cracks at a tie, but all their attempts fell short. Hairston, who had made two previous three-pointers, missed two attempts in a row. Dockery lined up one final attempt, but his shot was errant, giving Wagner the 71-68 win.

Despite the abysmal shooting in the first half, the Howard Bison made key shots down the stretch. They went 7-24 from long range, as opposed to Wagner's 8-17. Howard also shot 11 more free throws than the Seahawks.

Bryce Harris and Seth Towns combined for more free throws than Wagner. Towns made all five of his attempts, helping him get to 16 points, along with five rebounds, three assists, a block, and a steal. Harris knocked down six of seven attempts on his way to 16 points, six rebounds, two steals, and an assists. Isiah Warfield couldn't find the mark from deep, but he finished with nine points and four assists. Marcus Dockery made two of his long bombs for nine points, three assists, and two rebounds.

Melvin Council Jr. put on a show for the Wagner Seahawks. He finished with 21 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals in 40 minutes of play. Julian Brown ended with 15 points, nine of which came from the three-point line.

Keyontae Lewis and Tahron Allen both had 10 points each. Lewis grabbed seven rebounds and swatted three shots, while Allen recorded four boards, an assist, and a steal. The Seahawks move on to face #1 North Carolina in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.