Arkansas Handles Auburn in Statement Win, Acuff and Richmond Shine Bright
Arkansas got its payback on Valentine’s Day-and did it in style.
The Razorbacks led wire-to-wire in an 88-75 home win over Auburn, a performance that not only avenged an earlier loss but also solidified their spot near the top of the SEC standings. Now sitting at 9-3 in conference play, Arkansas is alone in second place, with a top-four seed in the SEC Tournament well within reach.
But this wasn’t just about revenge. This was about dominance-and two rising stars leading the charge.
Acuff and Richmond Take Over
Darius Acuff was electric. The freshman guard poured in 31 points, handed out seven assists, and turned it over just once.
Oh, and he hit 7 of 10 from deep. That’s not just efficient-that’s surgical.
Acuff controlled the pace, picked apart Auburn’s defense, and looked every bit the floor general Arkansas needs heading into March.
Right alongside him was Billy Richmond III, who had a breakout game of his own. Richmond dropped a career-high 25 points on a scorching 12-of-15 shooting, while also adding four assists and three steals. He was everywhere-cutting backdoor, finishing through contact, and creating chaos on the defensive end.
Together, Acuff and Richmond combined for a +24 plus-minus in a game Arkansas won by 13. That tells you everything you need to know about their impact.
Auburn’s Uphill Climb
To their credit, Auburn didn’t go quietly. Tahaad Pettiford scored 29, and KeShawn Murphy added a double-double with 22 points and 12 boards. But they were missing a key piece-leading scorer Keyshawn Hall, who sat out for disciplinary reasons after being benched in the previous game.
That absence loomed large. Auburn is now 14-11 overall and 5-7 in SEC play, and while their strength of schedule keeps them in the NCAA Tournament conversation, the margin for error is shrinking. The Tigers have quality wins on the resume, but they’ll need a few more to feel secure on Selection Sunday.
Arkansas’ Offense Clicking on All Cylinders
Auburn tried to slow the game down, but Arkansas had other plans.
The Hogs were relentless in transition, outscoring Auburn by seven in fast break points and by nine in overall transition efficiency. But even when the game slowed down, Arkansas still got what it wanted-scoring on 58% of its halfcourt possessions and winning that battle 63-59.
The biggest difference? Points in the paint.
Arkansas owned the interior, outscoring Auburn 52-34 down low. That’s not a one-off either.
The Hogs have now shot:
- 69% in the paint vs. Mississippi State
- 73% vs. LSU
- 74% vs. Auburn
That kind of consistency inside is rare, and it’s why Arkansas is on pace to break the school record for two-point field goal percentage in a season. When you finish that well around the rim, it covers up a lot of other flaws.
Defensive Growth Where It Matters Most
Let’s talk about those flaws-specifically, paint defense. It’s been Arkansas’ Achilles heel all season. But something has changed.
In the past two games, Arkansas has held both LSU and Auburn under 45% shooting in the paint. That’s a first in SEC play this year. And while that’s led to a drop in defensive rebounding numbers (more misses = more offensive board chances), it’s a trade-off the Hogs will take every time.
Just a week ago, Arkansas ranked 265th nationally in opponent paint FG%. Now?
They’ve jumped to 200th. In overall Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, they’ve leapt from 62nd to 44th.
That’s not just progress-it’s a potential turning point.
The rim protection has been especially notable. Arkansas had just three blocks in the first matchup with Auburn.
This time? Ten.
Same story against LSU: three in the first meeting, ten in the rematch.
Trevon Brazile and Billy Richmond have been key help defenders, but credit also goes to Nick Pringle and Baye Fall Ewin, who each had multiple blocks as primary defenders. The rotations are sharper, the contests more aggressive, and the results speak for themselves.
Rotation Notes and Lineup Possibilities
Ewin played with a protective mask and was solid in 19 minutes. Karter Knox and DJ Wagner returned from injury but saw limited action-just six minutes apiece. For now, Richmond has clearly leapfrogged Knox in the rotation, and it’s hard to argue with the results.
Richmond’s productivity on both ends has made him tough to take off the floor. Interestingly, when he and Knox shared the court-especially in lineups with Wagner-they provided a spark.
That trio allows Arkansas to rest either Acuff or Tramon Thomas while maintaining offensive versatility and defensive length. It also gives them a way to minimize Brazile’s minutes in certain matchups, where his fit hasn’t always been seamless.
If Richmond keeps this up, the coaching staff might have to rethink how they distribute minutes, especially once Knox and Wagner are back to full strength.
What’s Next
Arkansas heads to Tuscaloosa on Wednesday for a massive showdown with Alabama. The Crimson Tide sit just one game back in the standings, and a loss would drop the Hogs into a tie-and hand Alabama the tiebreaker.
Add in the fact that Kentucky is lurking, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. A win keeps Arkansas in control of its SEC destiny.
A loss? The Hogs could tumble from second to fourth in a heartbeat.
This is the stretch where contenders separate themselves. Arkansas just sent a message with how they handled Auburn. Now we’ll see if they can back it up on the road.
Stay tuned for more SEC basketball breakdowns and follow us for updates as the postseason picture comes into focus.