Stream Michigan Basketball Game Free Today: Your Guide

Mo. Basuony

Published: March 29, 2026 2:57 PM ET

Stream Michigan Basketball Game Free Today: Your Guide

The top-seeded Michigan Wolverines open their NCAA Tournament campaign against 16th-seeded Howard on Thursday, March 19, 2026. Tipoff is 7:10 p.m. Eastern at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y., with the game airing on CBS.

Where to watch and streaming options

CBS will carry the telecast live. Cord-cutters can still access the game through several streaming services.

FuboTV offers a free trial and $25 off the first month. It includes CBS and first- and second-round matchups.
DIRECTV provides a trial and $40 off for viewers seeking TBS, TNT and truTV for non-CBS March Madness games.
Sling TV sells short-term passes: Day ($4.99), Weekend ($9.99), Week ($14.99), Monthly ($45.99), and Season ($199.99 for five months).
Paramount Plus is another option. It has a March Madness special of $2.99 for the first two months. Plans then start at $8.99 or $13.99 per month.

Those affected by a DIRECTV carriage dispute may face local blackouts. For many viewers, FuboTV remains the straightforward way to stream Michigan basketball game free today.

Michigan at a glance

Michigan arrives with a 31-3 record and the tournament’s top seed. The Wolverines lost the Big Ten championship to Purdue, 80-72.

Head coach listed as Dusty May.
Michigan is one of four teams to exceed 30 wins, alongside Duke, Arizona and Miami (OH).
Quad 1 record: 17-3.
NET/metrics: third in NET (+37.58) per KenPom, best defensive rating (89), eighth-best offensive rating (126.6).
Scoring: 86.8 points per game (11th), allowed 69.2 (57th). Margin of victory: +17.6 and a +599 scoring differential.

Key Michigan players

Yaxel Lendeborg (Sr., F): 14.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 50.9% FG.
Morez Johnson Jr. (So., F): 13.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.1 APG, 62.8% FG.
Aday Mara (Jr., C): 11.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.2 APG, 67.4% FG.
Elliot Cadeau (Jr., G): 10.2 PPG, team-high 5.6 APG, 2.6 RPG, 41.9% FG.
L.J. Cason (So., G): 8.4 PPG; out for season with an ACL tear.

Howard profile

Howard enters at 24-10 and carries a nine-game winning streak. The Bison beat UMBC 86-83 in the First Four on March 17.

That victory marked Howard’s first NCAA Tournament win. The Bison are the reigning MEAC champions.

Tournament appearances: third berth in four years.
KenPom rank: 205. Offensive rank: 268. Defensive rank: 129.
Strengths: offensive rebounding (36.4% of misses), heavy scoring from free throws (about 25% of points), and a trapping defense that forces turnovers.

Key Howard players

Bryce Harris (Sr., G): 17.1 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 2.5 APG, 48.4% FG.
Cedric Taylor III (Jr., G): 17.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.2 APG, 44.9% FG.
Ose Okojie (Sr., G): 10.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.7 APG, 56.8% FG and 48.4% 3PT.

Odds, history and quick facts

Spread: Michigan -30.5, Howard +30.5.
Moneyline: Michigan -50000, Howard +5000.
Total: 151.5. (Odds via DraftKings.)
Last meeting: November 2016, Michigan won 76-58 in Ann Arbor.
Game: March Madness First Round — Michigan vs. Howard. Date: March 19, 2026. Time: 7:10 p.m. ET. Venue: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, N.Y.