Arkansas vs. Arizona: March Madness Sweet 16

Arkansas entered the game with impressive wins over Hawaii (97-78) and High Point (94-88), while Arizona advanced with victories over LIU Sharks (92-58) and Utah State (78-66). Arizona, favored by 7.5 points, was seeking their first Elite Eight appearance in over a decade.

For Razorbacks' coach John Calipari, the game marked his 17th Sweet 16 appearance, with a potential 13th Elite Eight berth on the line. Arizona's Tommy Lloyd, potentially coaching his last game with the team, aimed to end a ten-year drought of Elite Eight appearances for the Wildcats.