High Point University rallied from a double-digit deficit to defeat Wisconsin 83-82 on March 19, 2026, in the first round of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. The victory marked the Panthers' first in NCAA tournament history.
High Point, a private university in High Point, North Carolina, that competes in the Big South Conference, entered as the No. 12 seed and 10.5-point underdog. The Panthers qualified by winning the Big South tournament title for the second consecutive season after a first-round loss to Purdue the previous year.[1]
High Point coach Flynn Clayman said after the game: "It 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. I know how good of a team we are. But nobody would play us."
Guard Chase Johnston scored the go-ahead layup with 11.7 seconds remaining after grabbing a rebound off a missed layup by Wisconsin's Nick Boyd and receiving a pass from Rob Martin on the break. The bucket, Johnston's first two-point field goal of the season, gave High Point an 83-82 lead. Johnston finished with 14 points, including four 3-pointers.
Wisconsin's Boyd then drove for a layup but was blocked by Owen Aquino. High Point's Cam'Ron Fletcher missed a free throw, but Terry Anderson intercepted Andrew Rohde's inbound pass with 1.8 seconds left to seal the win.
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament is a 68-team single-elimination event determining the national champion.[2]
Sources
- High Point Panthers athletics. "Men's Basketball." High Point University. Accessed October 2024. https://highpointpanthers.com/sports/mens-basketball
- NCAA. "Men's basketball tournament." NCAA.com. Accessed October 2024. https://www.ncaa.com/march-madness
