arkansas vs hawaii is set for Thursday, March 19, 2026, in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Championship at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Arkansas enters as the West Region’s No. 4 seed, while Hawai’i is the No. 13 seed, with tipoff scheduled for 4: 25 p. m. ET and the game airing live on TBS. The immediate storyline moving into game day is Arkansas center Nick Pringle being listed as questionable on the NCAA availability report released Wednesday.
Game time, site, and stakes for Arkansas Vs Hawaii
Arkansas and Hawai’i will meet on the hardwood in Portland, with the winner advancing to face the winner of No. 5 seed Wisconsin and No. 12 seed High Point on Saturday, March 21, 2026, also in Portland.
Arkansas (26-8) arrives after winning the SEC Tournament and finishing as SEC runner-up in the regular season. Hawai’i (24-8) comes in after defeating UC Irvine in the Big West Tournament finals and finishing second in Big West play.
For Arkansas, the appearance marks its 38th NCAA bid and fifth in a six-year span. Program history on this stage is extensive: Arkansas is 52-36 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 20-8 in first-round games. This is also the seventh time Arkansas has earned a No. 4 seed.
Nick Pringle questionable as Arkansas adjusts rotation
Arkansas men’s basketball center Nick Pringle is questionable for the NCAA Tournament opener against Hawaii, based on the availability report released by the NCAA on Wednesday. Pringle lightly participated in Wednesday’s practice, which was open to the media and public.
The senior forward has started 33 of 34 games this season and averaged 4. 6 points and 3. 7 rebounds. With his status uncertain, Arkansas could lean more heavily on Malique Ewin and Trevon Brazile. Ewin is likely to start at center; he previously started in Pringle’s place in an 84-83 win over Winthrop on Nov. 18, and he averaged 9. 6 points and 5. 4 rebounds before the NCAA Tournament. Brazile has logged 82 minutes as a small-ball center this season.
The matchup’s frontcourt dimension is heightened by Hawai’i’s physical profile and free-throw pressure. The Rainbow Warriors attempt the 29th-most free throws in the country and score 23. 2% of their points at the free-throw line, a figure listed as No. 38 nationally. Much of that production comes from the frontcourt, including 7-foot big Isaac Johnson, who averaged 14. 1 points and 5. 8 rebounds per game, drew fouls at 6. 6 per 40 minutes (No. 66 in Division I), and shot 87% at the free-throw line.
Immediate reactions: Calipari flags Hawai’i size and shooting
Arkansas head coach John Calipari underscored Hawai’i’s combination of size and perimeter skill as Arkansas prepared for the opener.
“They’re not only big, they can shoot it, ” Calipari said. “Now you’ve got bigs that can shoot the ball that are long, that are 7-foot tall. It’s also our guards understanding how they play. I watched a lot of tape. They’re really good. They play their way. Offensively they run great stuff. They play through bigs. ”
Rebounding profiles also shape the chess match in Portland. Hawai’i was rated the No. 10 defensive rebounding team prior to the NCAA Tournament and ranked No. 148 in offensive rebounding. Arkansas was listed at No. 211 in defensive rebounding and No. 119 in offensive rebounding.
Quick context and what comes next
This will be the third time the programs have met, with Arkansas winning the first two meetings on back-to-back days in December 1977 in Honolulu.
Next, Arkansas’ pathway is clear on the bracket: win Thursday and the Razorbacks move to a Saturday matchup in Portland against Wisconsin or High Point. For now, the focus inside the Arkansas locker room is straightforward—be ready for tip, and monitor availability as arkansas vs hawaii approaches a 4: 25 p. m. ET start with a frontcourt-heavy test waiting on the other side.
