(Photo credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images)

DAYTON, Ohio -- The field of 68 teams in the 2026 NCAA Tournament begins to get whittled down Tuesday night when a pair of No. 16 seeds from the Midwest Region square off.

UMBC (24-8) and Howard (23-10) will clash in the First Four opener in Dayton. The winner gets No. 1 seed Michigan on Thursday in a first-round game in Buffalo, N.Y.

UMBC, whose 12-game winning streak is a program record, is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since the historic upset of No. 1 Virginia in 2018. The Retrievers became the first No. 16 seed to triumph since the expansion to 64 teams in 1985.

Under America East Coach of the Year Jim Ferry, UMBC earned an automatic bid this year by handling Vermont 74-59 in the conference final.

'I've been to the NCAA Tournament but because these guys are so special, I wanted it so badly for them,' Ferry said. 'We've been playing some of the best basketball in the country. I'm sure (opponents are) not going to feel very comfortable.'

Howard is returning to the tournament for the third time in four years. After clinching the Mid-Eastern Athletic Championship, the Bison also enter on an impressive streak, having won the last eight.

'I am so proud of our guys, the way they work and the character they have,' coach Kenneth Blakeney said. 'To represent Howard University on this stage is an honor we don't take lightly. We're coming to Dayton to compete and keep this journey going.'

MEAC Player of the Year Bryce Harris powers Howard's attack with 17.1 points per game, tied for the team lead with two-way standout Cedric Taylor III. He says he's ready for the national spotlight.

'We've put in the work all season for this exact moment,' Harris said. 'We know UMBC is tough, but we believe in our system and each other. It's survive-and-advance time.'

Both teams rely on highly efficient offenses. Howard averaged 84.2 points over the last 10 games, while UMBC averaged 79.8 in the span.

The game also features a battle of two of the better point guards in mid-major basketball.

Jah'Likai King leads UMBC with 13.9 points per game. The first-team all-America East selection is the primary engine for the Retrievers' winning streak.

Cam Gillus paces Howard in assists (4.6 per game) and steals (1.8). He is coming off a 25-point, eight-rebound performance in the MEAC semifinals, a 78-61 win over South Carolina State.

--Mike Petraglia, Field Level Media