Isaiah Sealy Steps Up for Arkansas in SEC Road Win Over Mississippi State
STARKVILLE, Miss. - With Arkansas down two key rotation players and on the road in a tough SEC environment, freshman Isaiah Sealy didn’t just fill a spot - he seized the moment.
The No. 21 Razorbacks were without Karter Knox and D.J.
Wagner on Saturday, both sidelined with lower-body injuries. That opened the door for Sealy, a freshman wing from Springdale, to get meaningful minutes - and he made the most of them in Arkansas’ 88-68 win over Mississippi State.
Sealy hadn’t played more than a minute since Jan. 20 and had logged just 15 total minutes since Thanksgiving. But when his number was called in Starkville, he responded with poise, energy, and a little bit of flair.
Shortly after checking in during the first half, Sealy made his presence known with a backdoor cut and a two-handed slam off a lob from Darius Acuff - the kind of play that doesn’t just show up in the box score but sends a jolt through the bench.
“He had a great week,” head coach John Calipari said. “I really have a lot of faith in the kid. He can do it.”
And on Saturday, he did. In 15 minutes - his most action since November - Sealy scored six points on 3-of-6 shooting, added three blocks, two assists, and a rebound.
But the numbers only tell part of the story. What really stood out was his defensive effort, his feel for the game, and the confidence he played with in a hostile SEC environment.
Sealy’s assignment? Guarding Mississippi State’s leading scorer, Josh Hubbard - a freshman guard averaging 20.8 points per game.
Sealy helped hold Hubbard to just 16 points and, for the first time in two years, zero made three-pointers. That’s no small feat, especially for a freshman who’s spent much of the season watching from the bench.
“I think I've grown and am just trying to change to this college lifestyle,” Sealy said. “I'm kind of used to high school still, and just learning from guys like Nick [Pringle], [Trevon Brazile], D.J., the vets we have on our team, just learning how to get better each day.”
That growth has come in silence, behind the scenes. Sealy was a four-star recruit out of Springdale High School, but his freshman season has been filled with DNPs and garbage-time minutes.
He’s sat out 11 games entirely. But through it all, he kept working.
And when the Razorbacks needed him, he was ready.
“He worked harder than he's worked all season,” Calipari said. “Really hard if you don't know if you're going to play or not to keep working, and he did.
And you know what's great? The team was happy for him.”
There were still rookie moments - three first-half fouls limited his time on the floor - and that’s been a trend. Sealy averages 6.7 fouls per 40 minutes, a sign of both his defensive aggression and his need for more discipline. But that’s part of the learning curve, and Calipari knows it.
Even in limited minutes earlier this season, Sealy flashed potential. He scored 12 points in the season opener against Southern and added eight points and two steals in a December win over Fresno State.
But Saturday was different. This was a road game in the SEC, against a team that plays physical and has made three straight NCAA Tournaments.
And Sealy didn’t just survive - he contributed in a real way.
“I talked to him this past week about just being ready for the rest of the season because his opportunity was going to come, and it actually did today,” said veteran forward Nick Pringle, who had six points and 11 rebounds. “As an older guy, I even look up to him for doing that, because he's been in a tough, tough spot. He's been overshadowed, and all I want to see him do is grow and become the best version of Isaiah Sealy he can.”
Pringle has seen the work Sealy’s put in, often guarding Acuff in practice, often not knowing if or when he’d get a chance. That kind of uncertainty can wear on a young player, but Sealy stayed locked in. And when Acuff lobbed that alley-oop, Sealy was ready - not just for the dunk, but for the moment.
“He's honestly been great, man. He's progressing well,” Pringle said.
“Since Day 1, he had always had the raw skill. It was just all about putting the pieces together for him to put in the showing like tonight, and hopefully we can build on that.”
Whether Knox and Wagner are back for Tuesday’s game at LSU remains uncertain. But what is clear is that Arkansas just found another piece to their puzzle. Sealy didn’t just fill a roster spot - he showed he can be a real contributor in SEC play.
“[The injuries] gave Isaiah a chance, and Isaiah looked really good,” Calipari said. “So now we found another player, and we had to do it on the road with a team that can really get going and score the ball with guards that can really shoot.”
For a freshman who’s spent much of the season waiting in the wings, Saturday was a breakout - and a reminder that in college basketball, opportunity can come fast. The key is being ready when it does. Isaiah Sealy was.