Darius Acuff Jr. Shines as No. 18 Arkansas Prepares for James Madison Showdown
Darius Acuff Jr. is making the Southeastern Conference take notice-and fast. The Arkansas freshman guard is turning heads with his consistent production, and now he's eyeing a fourth straight SEC Freshman of the Week honor as the No. 18 Razorbacks (9-3) gear up to face James Madison (7-6) in Fayetteville on Monday.
Let’s be clear: Acuff isn’t just putting up good numbers-he’s carrying a significant load for a team that’s been through the gauntlet early in the season. His latest performance, a career-high 27 points along with seven assists and five rebounds in a hard-fought 94-85 loss to No.
8 Houston, was another reminder that he’s not playing like a freshman. He’s been the only Razorback to score in double figures in all 12 games so far, and he did it against a Houston team that had to switch to a rare zone defense just to try and slow him down.
That game against Houston marked Arkansas’ fifth matchup against a team currently ranked in the AP Top 25’s top 16. It’s been a trial by fire, but the Razorbacks haven’t come out of it empty-handed.
They’ve logged statement wins over No. 15 Texas Tech and No.
16 Louisville, and while losses to No. 6 Duke, No.
9 Michigan State, and Houston sting, they’ve also revealed where this team stands-and where it can go.
Head coach John Calipari didn’t mince words after the Houston game.
“I love it,” he said of the brutal early-season schedule. “We played five tremendously tough teams. This is the only one I never felt we had a chance.”
That’s a telling quote. Calipari sees the potential in this squad, even if the Cougars proved to be a step ahead.
“The others, I thought, we could have won,” he added. “We have a good team.
We have to have guys play better. We have work to do.”
Against Houston, Arkansas shot a solid 49.1% from the field, but left points at the line, converting just 21 of 35 free throws (60%). Meanwhile, Houston shot 51.6% and posted an effective field goal percentage of 60.5%-both season-worst marks for the Razorbacks’ defense.
That’s where the game was lost. As Calipari put it, “We could not stay in front of them.
They didn’t even run anything. They just spread the court, went on the dribble and shot layups.”
Still, there were bright spots beyond Acuff. Reserve big man Malique Ewin delivered an efficient 20 points, and wing Billy Richmond III added 12.
Ewin was a force inside, going 10 of 15 from the field, though he left some points on the table with a 10-of-17 showing at the stripe. It’s performances like these from the bench that could make a difference down the stretch if Arkansas wants to make a serious run in the SEC.
Next up is a James Madison squad that’s had its own ups and downs. The Dukes, who were picked to win the Sun Belt Conference in the preseason coaches' poll, haven’t played since a 96-92 overtime loss to Georgia Southern on Dec. 20-their second straight defeat.
James Madison brings a different rhythm to the floor. While Arkansas likes to push the pace-averaging 72.4 possessions per 40 minutes, good for 36th in Division I per KenPom-the Dukes operate at a slower tempo, averaging 66.6 possessions, which ranks 303rd. It’s a clear contrast in styles, and one that could define Monday’s matchup.
“Everybody has an idea of how you’d like to play,” Dukes coach Preston Spradlin said. “Early in the year, we really wanted to play a little faster and run on makes and put pressure on teams.
Then, we realized that really wasn’t going to work as well for this team. I like where we have settled in.”
Offensively, James Madison is led by forward Justin McBride (17.2 points per game) and guard Bradley Douglas (14.6), who dropped 27 in that loss to Georgia Southern. Forward Eddie Ricks III has also been a force on the glass, logging his second double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds in that game.
This one shapes up as a classic tempo tug-of-war. Can Arkansas impose its fast-paced style and let Acuff continue to dictate the game? Or will James Madison slow things down, limit possessions, and force the Razorbacks to grind it out?
Either way, the Hogs have a rising star in Acuff and a battle-tested résumé that’s already forged a team capable of making noise come March. Monday’s game is another step in that journey-and another chance for Acuff to show he’s not just one of the best freshmen in the SEC, but one of the most impactful players in the country.