PORTLAND, Oregon — Cinderella’s carriage finally turned back into a pumpkin on Saturday night inside the Moda Center, but man, what an unbelievable ride it was.
The High Point University men’s basketball team didn’t just show up to the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32 to be a footnote in someone else’s March Madness highlight reel. After stunning No. 5 Wisconsin in the opening round, the 12th-seeded Panthers stepped onto the hardwood ready to trade absolute haymakers with the No. 4 Arkansas Razorbacks. And throw them they did.
For 40 grueling, heart-pounding minutes, High Point proved they belonged on the sport’s biggest stage, ultimately falling 94-88 in an absolute barnburner that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer.
Trading Paint with Goliath: The First Half
If you expected the SEC champions to waltz in and physically dominate a mid-major underdog, someone clearly forgot to hand High Point the script. This game was a certified heavyweight bout, featuring a dizzying 15 lead changes and six ties. Neither team ever managed to build a lead larger than eight points…