Arkansas Survives High Point's Hot Shooting to Advance to Sweet 16

Razorbacks overcome Panthers' 15 three-pointers to set up matchup with Arizona or Utah State

Mar. 21, 2026 at 12:05am

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Arkansas basketball survived a scare from 12-seed High Point, defeating the Panthers 84-72 in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32. High Point knocked down 15 three-pointers and kept the game close, but the Razorbacks' depth and star power ultimately proved too much. Arkansas will now face either top-seeded Arizona or nine-seed Utah State in the Sweet 16.

Why it matters

This win keeps Arkansas' hopes of a deep NCAA Tournament run alive, as the Razorbacks look to make their second consecutive Sweet 16 appearance. High Point's impressive upset of Wisconsin in the first round showed they are a dangerous mid-major team capable of knocking off high-major opponents, making this a tricky matchup for the Hogs.

The details

Arkansas was led by Meleek Thomas' 21 points, while Darius Acuff Jr. and DJ Wagner also scored in double figures. The Razorbacks shot just 4-of-21 from three-point range but dominated the paint and forced 13 High Point turnovers. The Panthers were paced by Rob Martin's 23 points and 10 assists, as they kept the game close with their hot shooting from deep.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 8:45 p.m. CT.
  • Arkansas defeated Hawai'i 97-78 in the first round on Thursday, March 19.

The players

Meleek Thomas

A freshman guard for Arkansas who scored 21 points in the win over High Point.

Darius Acuff Jr.

An Arkansas guard who scored in double figures against the Panthers.

DJ Wagner

An Arkansas guard who also scored in double figures in the Round of 32 matchup.

Rob Martin

High Point's star point guard who led the Panthers with 23 points and 10 assists.

Flynn Clayman

The fiery head coach of the High Point Panthers.

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What they’re saying

“They're comfortable shooting it from anywhere, at any time, miss or make. That's dangerous right there. Gotta be alert, not losing sight of their best shooters, communicating.”

— Meleek Thomas, Arkansas guard

“Looks pretty obvious to me that high-majors need to play mid-majors early in the season. Because they said we didn't play nobody. We played somebody now.”

— Flynn Clayman, High Point head coach

What’s next

The winner of Arkansas-High Point will face either top-seeded Arizona or nine-seed Utah State in the Sweet 16.

The takeaway

This game highlighted Arkansas' depth and talent advantage over High Point, but also showed the Razorbacks' vulnerability to hot shooting from deep. As they advance deeper into the tournament, Arkansas will need to shore up its perimeter defense to avoid being upset by another mid-major team like the Panthers.