Arkansas to Face Hawai'i in NCAA Tournament First Round

The Razorbacks and Rainbow Warriors will meet in Portland on Thursday.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 3:40pm

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The fourth-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks will take on the 13th-seeded Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Thursday in Portland, Oregon. This will be the third meeting between the two teams, with Arkansas winning the previous two matchups in 1977.

Why it matters

This is an important first-round matchup in the West Region, with the winner advancing to face either No. 5 seed Wisconsin or No. 12 seed High Point on Saturday. Arkansas is making its 38th NCAA Tournament appearance and looking to make a deep run, while Hawai'i is seeking its first tournament win since 1971.

The details

The game will tip off at 3:25 pm local time at the Moda Center in Portland and will be televised on TBS. Arkansas enters the tournament with a 26-8 record after winning the SEC Tournament, while Hawai'i is 24-8 after winning the Big West Tournament championship.

  • The first-round game will be played on Thursday, March 20, 2026.
  • If Arkansas wins, they will face the winner of Wisconsin vs. High Point on Saturday, March 21, 2026.

The players

Arkansas Razorbacks

The fourth-seeded team in the West Region, making their 38th NCAA Tournament appearance and fifth in the last six seasons.

Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors

The 13th-seeded team in the West Region, making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1971.

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What they’re saying

“We're excited for the opportunity to face a tough Hawai'i team in the first round. They've had a great season and we know we'll have our hands full, but our team is ready for the challenge.”

— Eric Musselman, Head Coach, Arkansas Razorbacks

“Getting to the NCAA Tournament is an incredible accomplishment for our program. We're looking forward to testing ourselves against a top-4 seed like Arkansas and seeing how far we can go.”

— Eran Ganot, Head Coach, Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors

What’s next

The winner of the Arkansas-Hawai'i matchup will face the winner of the Wisconsin-High Point game on Saturday, March 21 in Portland.

The takeaway

This first-round clash between the fourth-seeded Razorbacks and 13th-seeded Rainbow Warriors promises an exciting start to the West Region of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, with both teams looking to advance and make a deep run in the Big Dance.