Arkansas Razorbacks' freshman sensation, Darius Acuff Jr., continues to make waves in the SEC. Just a week after setting a record with his seventh SEC Freshman of the Week award, Acuff has now claimed his first SEC Player of the Week honor. Meanwhile, the Razorbacks hold steady at No. 20 in the AP Top 25 poll and No. 17 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
The Hogs delivered a thrilling performance against Alabama, albeit in a double-overtime heartbreaker, falling 117-115. Acuff was nothing short of spectacular, dropping an impressive 49 points on 17 of 26 shooting, including six three-pointers.
His all-around game included five assists, five rebounds, a block, and a steal, with just one turnover over 50 minutes of action. This game has already been dubbed the 'Game of the Year' by many.
Returning to their home court at Bud Walton Arena, Arkansas faced Missouri and overcame a shaky start to secure a 94-86 victory. A 23-9 run to close the first half set the tone, and they never looked back. Billy Richmond led the scoring with 21 points, while Acuff added 20 points, five assists, four rebounds, and a steal in 35 minutes.
Over these two games, Acuff averaged an impressive 34.5 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.5 rebounds. His consistent performance has earned him his eighth SEC weekly honor in the last 11 weeks, marking a historic achievement for a freshman.
AP TOP 25 POLL - WEEK 16 (Feb. 23)
- Duke (25-2)
- Arizona (25-2)
- Michigan (25-2)
- Iowa State (23-4)
- Houston (23-4)
- UConn (25-3)
- Florida (21-6)
- Purdue (22-5)
- Gonzaga (27-2)
- Illinois (22-6)
- Virginia (24-3)
- Nebraska (23-4)
- Michigan State (22-5)
- Kansas (20-7)
- St.
John's (22-5) 16.
Texas Tech (20-7) 17.
Alabama (20-7) 18.
North Carolina (21-6) 19.
BYU (20-7) 20.
Arkansas (20-7) 21.
Miami (OH) (27-0) 22.
Tennessee (20-7) 23.
Saint Louis (25-2) 24.
Louisville (20-7) 25.
Vanderbilt (21-6)
Others receiving votes include Wisconsin, Saint Mary's, Villanova, and others.
Arkansas remains the third-highest ranked SEC team, trailing Florida at No. 7 and Alabama at No. 17.
Tennessee and Vanderbilt also make the cut at No. 22 and No. 25, respectively. Texas A&M received votes but didn't crack the top 25.
Duke, who defeated Arkansas earlier in the season, now sits atop the rankings. Other notable non-conference opponents for Arkansas include Houston at No.
5, Michigan State at No. 13, Texas Tech at No. 16, and Louisville at No.
The Razorbacks' journey continues, and with Acuff leading the charge, fans have every reason to be optimistic about what's ahead.