Darius Acuff Shows Star Power as No. 17 Arkansas Outlasts No. 16 Texas Tech
In a game that had all the makings of a heavyweight showdown, it was a freshman who stole the spotlight. Darius Acuff, Arkansas’ 6-foot-3 point guard, played like anything but a newcomer in the Razorbacks’ gritty 93-86 win over No. 16 Texas Tech on Saturday - a second straight victory over a ranked opponent that’s starting to turn heads around the college basketball world.
With just over 17 minutes left in the second half, Acuff found himself in a tough spot. Texas Tech sent a double team at him on a pick-and-roll, and the pressure forced a wild, one-legged pass that ended up in the hands of the Red Raiders.
Arkansas head coach John Calipari, never one to hide his emotions, motioned freshman guard Meleek Thomas to check in. The message was clear: mistakes come with consequences.
But Acuff didn’t sulk. He responded the way elite players do - by making plays.
Less than a minute later, Acuff drilled a corner three right in front of the Arkansas bench, flipping the momentum and earning a reprieve from the substitution. Calipari waved Thomas back to the bench, a silent nod to the freshman’s resilience.
From there, Acuff took over.
He logged 19 of the 20 second-half minutes and delivered in crunch time. His go-ahead transition layup through contact gave Arkansas a 71-70 lead - their first since they were up 43-42 earlier in the game.
He flexed, he celebrated, and he high-fived assistant coach Bruiser Flint. The moment was his, and he knew it.
Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland certainly knew it too.
“Darius Acuff is a great player,” McCasland said. “He can get a bucket. He’s one of the best guards in college basketball.”
That’s not hyperbole. Acuff finished with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, handed out eight assists, and turned it over just twice.
He controlled the tempo, made the right reads, and showed a knack for knowing when to take over and when to set the table. For a freshman, that’s rare air.
But this wasn’t a one-man show.
Trevon Brazile was a force inside, racking up a 24-point, 10-rebound double-double. Karter Knox was lethal from the field, scoring 20 points on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting night. Malique Ewin made his presence felt on the glass with four offensive boards, and Billy Richmond III chipped in with four assists and two steals.
Arkansas dominated the hustle stats - especially on the offensive glass. That second-chance effort led directly to Acuff’s key three-pointer that cut the deficit to 52-50. Richmond’s steal moments later turned into a layup, and suddenly, Arkansas was back in business.
Acuff, the former five-star recruit, has been building toward a breakout like this. He dropped 17 points and 10 assists in a win over Louisville earlier this month and scored 21 in a loss to Duke. But Saturday’s performance marked the first time in four games against Power Four opponents that he shot 50% or better from the field.
He did it with poise, physicality, and a growing understanding of the game.
“I feel like I’ve always got an advantage,” Acuff said. “It’s just all about having confidence.
… That’s what I’m still learning. Learning when to pass and when to shoot.
I got it going a little bit tonight, but yeah, it was good.”
He certainly got it going. Acuff scored seven straight points to close each half, showcasing his ability to create offense in a variety of ways - spinning to the rim, pulling up from deep, and slicing through defenders to draw contact. With the game tight late, he hit a go-ahead three-point play, followed by a smooth pull-up jumper and a crafty layup to reclaim the lead at 76-75.
And even with a couple of late-game hiccups - a missed free throw in the bonus with 38 seconds left and a turnover under pressure on an inbounds play - Acuff’s fingerprints were all over this win.
Calipari, who’s known for pushing his young guards to grow quickly, wasn’t shy about pointing out the freshman’s late-game decision-making.
“The only thing that made me mad is he held the ball to get fouled that last play,” Calipari said. “I did that when I played.
I’d fake like, ‘Foul me!’ Boom and then I’d go make two free throws.
“He held it, which I’m fine with, and he missed a free throw. You can’t hold it then.
You give it to somebody else. Or when you hold it, you get fouled, you make the free throws, end the game.”
Even so, Calipari knows what he has in Acuff - a budding star who’s learning on the fly, making plays, and already leading a top-20 team through big-time moments.
“I’m just trying to win,” Acuff said. “I’m not out there playing for (myself).
I’m just trying to win for them, my whole team. … Coming out with the W.
That’s my main focus. That’s my approach every game.”
And with wins like this, it’s clear that Acuff’s approach is working.