Darius Acuff had a night to remember, even if it came in a narrow 117-115 loss for Arkansas against Alabama. The 6-foot-3 guard from Detroit etched his name in Razorback history by surpassing Scotty Thurman’s freshman scoring record.
Acuff's dazzling 49-point performance, a new freshman record, came on 16 of 27 shooting, pushing his season total to 579 points. Thurman's record of 540 points set during the 1992-93 season was eclipsed in style.
Acuff was on fire from beyond the arc, hitting 6 of 10 three-pointers, and was nearly perfect from the free-throw line, sinking 11 of 12. "He’s a special, special one," Arkansas coach John Calipari praised during the postgame show.
Acuff's scoring was consistent throughout, with 22 points in the first half and an impressive 27 in the second half and overtime. His stat line was filled out with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, a block, a steal, and just 1 turnover in 50 minutes. This 49-point explosion ranks as the second-highest single-game performance in Arkansas history, just behind Rotnei Clarke's 51 points in 2009.
Adding to his accolades, Acuff became the first in school history to record a 45-point, 5-rebound, and 5-assist game. He also recently set an SEC record by being named SEC Freshman of the Week for the seventh time.
The game saw four Razorbacks foul out, a season-high, which was challenging with Karter Knox and Isaiah Sealy sidelined due to injuries. Meleek Thomas, who scored 24 points, fouled out in overtime, followed by Nick Pringle.
D.J. Wagner and Billy Richmond III also fouled out, with Richmond contributing 20 points.
Calipari voiced his frustration over the free-throw discrepancy, with Alabama making 27 of 34 compared to Arkansas' 16 of 19. “When we’re getting so many fouls called, it’s hard,” he noted.
This game marked Arkansas' 12th double overtime in school history, with their record now standing at 9-3 in such contests. The Razorbacks had a strong first half, leading 57-47, their highest-scoring half since 2015.
Ball security was key early on, with Arkansas committing just 1 turnover in the first half and Alabama 2. However, both teams struggled more in the second half, ending with 12 and 7 turnovers, respectively.
Aidan Sherrell was a force for Alabama, contributing 6 of their 8 dunks. Trevon Brazile provided a highlight for Arkansas with a steal and breakaway dunk early in the second half.
In a fast-paced sequence, Acuff capitalized on a long rebound to hit a crucial three-pointer late in the first half, showcasing his awareness and shooting prowess.
Richmond played a pivotal role with back-to-back assists, one of which was a no-look pass to Acuff for a three-pointer, though it didn't officially count as an assist.
Calipari's strategic timeout after Alabama's 10-0 run proved effective, sparking a Razorback rally.
Despite the loss, Arkansas still leads the series 36-34, though Alabama's win marked their sixth straight in the rivalry.
Pringle's early and-one play demonstrated his athleticism, though those were his only points of the game. Malique Ewin struggled, going scoreless on 0 of 4 shooting.
In a game filled with high drama and historic performances, Acuff's night was one for the ages, even if the final score didn't favor the Razorbacks.