By Josh Noel (@Josh_DDH)
PORTLAND, Ore. — As the buzzer in the Moda Center struck midnight on High Point University’s Cinderella run, the Panthers exited the floor with their heads held high as they acknowledged their fans on hand.
High Point, the No. 12 seed in the West Region, gave fourth-seeded Arkansas all it could handle in their second-round NCAA Tournament matchup, a 94-88 Razorbacks win.
“I’m really proud of our guys and how we competed,” said High Point head coach Flynn Clayman. “We showed out, we packed the house, we had fun, and we played with confidence. We were expected to be good, but I don’t think anybody expected us to do what we did here in winning 31 games, getting to the tournament, advancing, and pushing the SEC champs.”
Amid the six ties and 15 lead changes, the Panthers kept the entirety of the game against the Razorbacks within single digits. According to Will Warren, Saturday marked the first time in the round of 32 that a game involving a team seeded 12th or lower featured both teams scoring 85 or more points. HPU kept pace with the high-tempo Hogs on 3-point shooting as well as rebounding, finishing just one rebound shy of Arkansas’ total.
“(Rebounding) surprised me because I just wasn’t sure where we stood against this team physically,” said Clayman. “As we got going, I was like, man, we have the athletes and physicality to hang with the SEC champs.”
Projected NBA lottery pick Darius Acuff, Jr. led Arkansas with 36 points and set a NCAA Tournament record for most points scored by a freshman through two games with 58 total. Acuff’s brilliance was equally matched by High Point’s Rob Martin, who scored a season-high 30 points. Martin dazzled the crowd at the Moda Center all evening with acrobatic spinning layups and a 3-pointer that pinballed around the rim about six times before finally dropping, completing a stretch where three of his four highest scoring efforts came in the Panthers’ final three contests.
“I put so much work in, and I feel like it showed tonight,” said Martin. “Matching up with a (projected) lottery pick and showing the world that I can compete at a high level, I’m super proud of myself for my journey. All glory to God.”
Martin was joined in the scoring column by Cam’Ron Fletcher who tallied 25 points. Martin and Fletcher both hail from the St. Louis area and frequently competed against each other at Christian Brothers and Vashon High School, respectively. This season, the St. Louis duo shared the court as teammates for the first time which provided an eye-opening experience for both.
“I never would have seen myself playing with Rob because of how often we competed growing up and in high school,” said Fletcher. “It was a good feeling to have someone that close to me that I knew before going to High Point. I’m very grateful to be able to play with him this year. It meant a lot to me.”
Throughout the season, Fletcher struggled with injuries and personal matters that sidelined him for eight games total. No matter what he was going through, Martin was steadfast in his corner and had Fletcher’s back through it all.
“I’m super grateful to play with him and love his journey,” said Martin. “With how hard he worked, he put the work in, and it showed tonight. I’m super proud of Cam and what's next for him.”
Another person in the Moda Center who was familiar with Fletcher’s journey was John Calipari, who recruited Fletcher to Kentucky six years ago. Saturday’s game marked the first time the two had met against each other since their paths diverged from Lexington.
“To see him do what he did today, I was proud of him,” said Calipari. “He put his shoulder down and just did what he wanted to do. I'm happy that it’s turned out this way for him and for High Point.”
Calipari also offered high praise for High Point’s commitment to basketball success amid all the challenges of NIL and the transfer portal.
“If you want players to be empowered, they have to know that there’s a commitment to the players,” said Calipari. “We have that in Arkansas, and they have that in High Point. They are committed, which is why you have a chance to win championships. I bragged on High Point because they have a president that is about those students. Everything they do is about those students. It proves my point: Coaches win games, but administrations win championships.”
High Point’s all-in investment on basketball has led to a combined 87-20 record for the Panthers over the past three seasons with three Big South regular season championships, two tournament championships, and their first NCAA Tournament victory.
“Choosing High Point is the best decision I’ve ever made,” said HPU guard Chase Johnston. “The Lord opened so many opportunities for me here. It’s a season I’ll never forget. I’ll take so much from it.”
This season simultaneously proved to be the best but also most challenging for Johnston, who remained on the Panthers’ roster after last offseason’s coaching change. Johnston went from a starter to a reserve during the 2025-26 season, but he closed the Panthers’ final six games shooting 58.6 percent from 3-point range.
“Looking back, this season didn’t think it was going to go the way it went in the beginning,” said Johnston. “If (Flynn) rosters you, he trusts you and he's going to trust you not just in the highs, but in the lows. I’m just so grateful that I’ve been able to finish off my career here in March Madness sitting here with these guys.”
Clayman will look to rebuild the Panthers’ roster for next season in the coming weeks and months through the transfer portal. For now though, he’ll take a minute to appreciate the significance of what his team accomplished in this record-setting campaign.
“Ever since I set foot on High Point University’s campus, my life changed,” said Clayman. “With this being my first year (as head coach), I had a lot of ups and downs having to recruit a whole new team. My staff had my back, and I just couldn’t be more thankful for all these players that stuck with me. We made history.”
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