Razorbacks Survive High Point in NCAA Tournament

Arkansas advances to Sweet 16 behind defensive stops, frontcourt emergence, and star freshman's historic performance.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 9:05pm

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Arkansas didn't survive High Point on talent alone, but a defensive grind in the final eight minutes, timely emergence in the frontcourt, and another historic night from star freshman Darius Acuff to push the Razorbacks past the Panthers and into the Sweet 16.

Why it matters

High Point came into the game as a 31-win team fresh off an upset of No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the first round, showing they would not go away easily against Arkansas. This victory highlights Arkansas' ability to grind out wins, get key contributions from role players, and lean on their star freshman when needed.

The details

Sophomore wing Billy Richmond III made several crucial defensive plays down the stretch, including an intercepted pass and a key block, to help Arkansas take the lead and hold on for the victory. Frontcourt transfers Malique Ewin and Nick Pringle, who struggled for much of the season, have emerged in the postseason to provide a boost inside. And star freshman Darius Acuff continued his historic NCAA Tournament run with another dominant performance.

  • Arkansas defeated High Point on March 22, 2026 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Portland, Oregon.

The players

Billy Richmond III

A sophomore wing for the Arkansas Razorbacks who made several key defensive plays to help secure the victory over High Point.

Malique Ewin

A transfer big man for the Arkansas Razorbacks who has emerged in the postseason, averaging a double-double over the last 10 games to provide a boost inside.

Darius Acuff

The star freshman for the Arkansas Razorbacks who continued his historic NCAA Tournament run with another dominant performance, averaging over 30 points and 7 assists per game in the postseason.

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What they’re saying

“He is never fazed by anything, is he. Nothing fazes him. Like he does something dumb, he'll look at me and just say, 'That's me, I got it.' We call him Billy Goat because he just does stuff that normal players don't do. How hard he plays, the plays he [makes], like how did he make that play?”

— John Calipari, Arkansas Head Coach

“The other guy that really helped us was Malique Ewin down the stretch. He was big down the stretch and getting balls and defending, but it was a good win that way.”

— John Calipari, Arkansas Head Coach

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This victory highlights Arkansas' ability to grind out wins, get key contributions from role players, and lean on their star freshman when needed, proving they have the toughness and versatility to make a deep NCAA Tournament run.