Arkansas guard Darius Acuff missed the No. 17 Razorbacks’ overtime win against the Missouri Tigers on Saturday evening with a niggling ankle injury. Despite his absence from the Razorbacks’ regular-season finale, the talented guard was named the SEC Player of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year after a stellar college basketball season.
Is Darius Acuff Available for the SEC Tournament?
According to CBS Sports reporter Jon Rothstein, on X, ahead of the No. 3-seeded Razorbacks’ SEC Tournament assault, Arkansas coach John Calipari, who has been sweating over the fitness of the talented guard, revealed that he would be fit for the showcase event. The Razorbacks have a double bye in the tournament, which tips off on March 11.
“Darius Acuff (undisclosed) will be available for Arkansas’ first SEC Tournament game later this week, per John Calipari. DNP in last game. The SEC Player of the Year, Acuff currently averages 22.2 PPG and 6.4 APG,” Rothstein tweeted.
The ninth-highest scorer in the country, Acuff is averaging 22.2 points on 49.3% shooting from the floor and 43.7% shooting from beyond the arc, 3.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists for Calipari’s team this season.
Acuff Gets Opposition Coach Praise
After dropping a double-double of 28 points, 13 assists, and 3 rebounds in the Razorbacks’ 105-85 blowout win over the Texas Longhorns last week, coach Sean Miller lavished praise on Acuff and detailed his importance to how Arkansas plays.
“In my time of 34 years, I’ve never seen a point guard better. ‘Greatness’ is how I would describe his game,” Miller said. “He seems like an amazing young man. I bring it up because this is game 30. He’s got several weeks or a month or so left. But guys like him, they just don’t come into college basketball. I mean, he’s a generational player.
“If you look at Arkansas as a team, the best thing they do is they never turn the ball over, and that’s because he has the ball in his hands 80% of the time. His assist-to-turnover ratio is astonishing, and not until you actually are in the game and you feel his presence. I have never been on a court where one player at that position is any better than (Acuff) is.”
Acuff has led the Razorbacks to a 13-5 in SEC and 23-8 overall record this season, ahead of the SEC Tournament and Big Dance. He is widely expected to be a lottery pick during the 2026 NBA Draft in one of the most stacked classes in recent years.
