When John Calipari builds a team, you can almost always count on elite guard play being at the heart of it. From Derrick Rose to De’Aaron Fox, Calipari’s best squads have been powered by dynamic backcourt talent. This season, he’s got another pair of freshmen guards turning heads - Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff - and while both have shown flashes of brilliance, it's Acuff who's emerging as the engine behind Arkansas’ recent surge.
Over the last four games, the Razorbacks have started to look like a team that could make some real noise come March. It started with a narrow loss to undefeated Duke - a game that showed Arkansas could hang with the best.
Then came a statement win over then-No. 6 Louisville, followed by a dominant performance against Fresno State.
But it was Saturday’s win over No. 16 Texas Tech that really put the Hogs back in the national conversation.
And at the center of it all? Darius Acuff.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound freshman has been nothing short of outstanding during this stretch, averaging 19 points and 7.8 assists per game while shooting nearly 46% from the field. Just as impressive is his 3.9-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio - a stat that speaks volumes about his poise, decision-making, and control in high-pressure moments against some of the best guards in the country.
Acuff isn’t just putting up numbers - he’s doing it against elite competition. Against Duke, he faced off with Isaiah Evans and Caleb Foster, two guards with experience and pedigree.
Acuff didn’t have his most efficient night overall, but he still poured in 21 points, knocked down four of his eight three-point attempts, and tallied five assists to just one turnover. It was the kind of performance that shows a young player is ready for the spotlight.
That spotlight got even brighter in the next game. Matched up with Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr., one of the top freshmen in the country, Acuff stepped up in a big way.
The two traded buckets in a thrilling second-half stretch, but it was Acuff who got the last word, finishing an and-1 that gave Arkansas a crucial edge. He finished with 17 points, a career-high 10 assists, and five rebounds - his first career double-double.
Brown scored 22, but went just 2-for-13 from deep. Acuff’s performance made him the first Arkansas freshman since 1992-93 to dish out 10 assists against an AP Top 25 opponent.
He followed that up with an 18-point, 8-assist showing in a rout of Fresno State, earning him SEC Freshman of the Week honors. And then came Saturday’s marquee matchup with Texas Tech, where Acuff went head-to-head with Christian Anderson, one of the top sophomore guards in the country.
Once again, Acuff rose to the occasion - 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, eight assists, four rebounds, a block, and only two turnovers. It was another complete performance that showed just how far his game has come in a short time.
What’s been most impressive about Acuff during this run isn’t just the stats - it’s his feel for the game. He’s learning when to take over, when to defer, and how to use his physicality to gain an edge. That kind of awareness is rare in a freshman.
“I feel like I always got an advantage,” Acuff said after the win over Texas Tech. “It's just all about having confidence and just knowing how to play - knowing when to drive it, knowing when to kick it back, or just knowing when to pass it. That's what I'm still learning - learning when to pass and when to shoot.”
That learning curve is flattening fast. And while Acuff is still figuring out the nuances of the college game, his mindset is exactly where you want it: “I'm just trying to win,” he said.
“I'm not out there playing for myself. I'm just trying to win for them - my whole team.
It's coming out with the W. That's my main focus, that's my approach every game.”
Calipari clearly trusts him. Acuff has had the ball in his hands late in close games - a sign of how much confidence the coaching staff has in the freshman. But even with all the praise, Calipari isn’t letting him get too comfortable.
After Saturday’s win, Calipari pointed to one moment late in the game where Acuff held the ball to draw a foul, only to miss both free throws. On the season, Acuff is shooting just over 72% from the line, but those were his only two misses of the game - and they came at a critical moment.
“The only thing that made me mad is he held the ball to be fouled that last play,” Calipari said. “I did that when I played.
I'd fake, like 'foul me.' Boom.
Then, I'd go make two free throws - but then again, I shot 90%. He held it, which I am fine with, but he missed the free throw.
You can't hold it then. You give it to somebody else.
Or when you get fouled, you get fouled and make the free throws to end the game.”
That moment didn’t cost Arkansas the game, but it’s the kind of detail Calipari uses to push his players toward greatness. And with Acuff’s trajectory, it’s clear he’s not just another talented freshman - he’s becoming the kind of guard who can lead a team deep into March.
Next up for the Razorbacks is a home matchup with Queens on Tuesday night at Bud Walton Arena. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.
CST, with coverage on SEC Network. All eyes will be on Acuff once again - and if the last few weeks are any indication, he’s ready for the moment.