John Calipari’s No. 21 Arkansas Razorbacks escaped with an 84-83 victory over Winthrop on November 18, 2025, at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville. But calling this a simple win would be like calling a tornado a light breeze. The final 11.9 seconds descended into absolute madness. Now, welcome to college basketball in 2025, where chaos reigns supreme.

Arkansas trailed by five points with just two minutes remaining. The Razorbacks then rallied with a crucial 6-0 run to close the game. Senior forward Nick Pringle delivered the decisive moment with 11.9 seconds left. Following a steal from freshman Meleek Thomas, Pringle scored a transition layup at the rim. The basket gave Arkansas an 84-83 lead. What should have been a routine celebration turned into bedlam.

Pringle and Winthrop center Logan Duncomb became entangled beneath the basket. Officials attempted to separate the two players. However, Pringle threw Duncomb to the floor. This triggered a brief but intense scrum. ESPN’s Myron Medcalf captured the confusion perfectly:

“Weird ending to this Arkansas game. Nick Pringle makes the go-ahead shot with 11.9 seconds to play. Pringle and Winthrop’s Logan Duncomb get tangled up. Looks like Pringle threw him to the ground. Replay shows Duncomb may have been the instigator. Chaos ensues in one-point game.”

The incident forced officials to stop play and review the situation on the monitor. After a lengthy review, they issued offsetting technical fouls to both Pringle and Duncomb. The double dead-ball contact technicals meant the penalties offset with no free throws awarded. Meanwhile, four additional players were ejected for leaving the bench area during the altercation.

NCAA rules stipulate automatic disqualification for players who leave the bench during on-court incidents. This applies regardless of whether they actively participate in the confrontation. Two players from Arkansas and two from Winthrop headed to the locker room early.

Following the delay and ejections, Winthrop had one final opportunity. Down one point with time expiring, senior guard Daylen Berry attempted a potential game-winning three-pointer from the wing. Arkansas freshman guard Meleek Thomas played suffocating defense on the final possession. He forced an awkward, contested shot that bounced harmlessly off the rim as the buzzer sounded.

Arkansas’ troubling pattern at home

The narrow victory improved Arkansas to 4-1 overall and 3-0 at home. Yet it marked another nail-biter at Bud Walton Arena. Neither team led by more than eight points throughout the game.

This highlighted the Razorbacks’ inability to pull away from an opponent they should have dominated. Bench ejections have emerged as a recurring theme in college basketball this season. Just three days earlier, West Virginia had its entire bench ejected against Duke but still managed to upset the 15th-ranked Blue Devils.

Winthrop stayed competitive by lighting up the scoreboard from beyond the arc. The Eagles shot an impressive 15-for-31 (48.4%) on three-point attempts. Senior guard Kareem Rozier torched Arkansas for 23 points on a scorching 7-for-10 from three-point range. Senior guard Kody Clouet added 16 points, with 12 coming from three-pointers.

The narrow escape highlighted ongoing concerns for Calipari’s squad. The lack of consistent production from the team’s big men remains particularly troubling. Before the game, Calipari had expressed frustration with the frontcourt play of forward Malique Ewin and Pringle.

Pringle redeemed himself with his clutch go-ahead basket despite the controversial ending. Thomas was the hero for Arkansas, scoring a career-high 26 points on 10-for-20 shooting from the field. His defense on the final possession sealed the victory.

Arkansas survived chaos to escape with a one-point victory. However, the pattern of close calls at home raises questions about the Razorbacks’ ability to impose their will on lesser opponents. The team returned to action on Friday, November 22, hosting Jackson State.