High Point University rallied from a double-digit deficit to beat Wisconsin 83-82 in a first-round game of the 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament on March 19, 2026, at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. The win marked High Point's first victory in NCAA tournament history.
High Point guard Chase Johnston scored a layup with 11.7 seconds remaining for the game-winning basket. The Panthers, members of the Big South Conference, qualified for the tournament by winning their conference title for the second consecutive season.[1] The team is coached by Flynn Clayman, who was hired as head coach in April 2024.[2]
Johnston's layup followed a missed layup by Wisconsin's Nick Boyd, which would have given the Badgers an 84-81 lead. High Point's Rob Martin grabbed the rebound and passed ahead to Johnston, a three-point specialist whose bucket was his first two-point field goal of the season.
After Johnston's basket, Owen Aquino blocked another attempt by Boyd. Cam'Ron Fletcher was fouled and missed a free throw, leaving 1.8 seconds. Wisconsin's Andrew Rohde's inbound pass was intercepted by High Point's Terry Anderson to seal the victory.
In post-game comments, Johnston said: "First and foremost, I wanna give all glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It's been an unbelievable season. This is a group of guys that's built on John 15:13. We serve each other, we love each other, and we’d die for each other. I'm so grateful."
High Point received a No. 12 seed. Wisconsin was seeded No. 5. High Point last appeared in the previous tournament as a No. 13 seed, losing to No. 4 Purdue. The Panthers face No. 4 Arkansas in the second round on March 21, 2026.
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament features 68 teams in a single-elimination format leading to the Final Four.[3] High Point entered the event with no prior NCAA tournament wins.[4]
Sources
- High Point Panthers athletics. Big South Conference page. Accessed October 2024. https://highpointpanthers.com/
- High Point Panthers athletics. "High Point Introduces Flynn Clayman as Panthers Men’s Basketball Head Coach". April 1, 2024. https://highpointpanthers.com/news/2024/4/1/mens-basketball-high-point-introduces-flynn-clayman-as-panthers-mens-basketball-head-coach.aspx
- NCAA. "Men's March Madness". Accessed October 2024. https://www.ncaa.com/march-madness
- Wikipedia. "High Point Panthers men's basketball". Accessed October 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Point_Panthers_men%27s_basketball
