It wasn’t pretty, but in the SEC, style points don’t matter. Survival does.
Arkansas narrowly defeated LSU 85–81 on Saturday in a game as tough and physical as SEC play demands. The Razorbacks didn’t play their best, but they did enough to win, and remained unbeaten at home. With consistency still an issue for Arkansas, this matchup had sneaky potential to turn into a grind despite LSU entering unranked. The Tigers, now 13–7, made sure of that, pushing the Hogs for 40 minutes and forcing them to earn every possession.
Darius Acuff Jr. Powers Razorbacks to Victory
Arkansas trailed at halftime, but the Razorbacks responded with a much stronger second-half effort, led by a heroic performance from star freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. The young guard put on a show, pouring in 31 points and six assists while shooting an efficient 13-of-19 from the field and 4-of-7 from three-point range. Simply put, what can’t the guy do?
Acuff continues to check every box you could possibly ask of a freshman. His poise, shot-making, and leadership have been nothing short of special, and once again he carried Arkansas when it needed him most.
Help was limited elsewhere. Meleek Thomas was the next leading scorer with 14 points, but beyond that, offense was hard to come by. Trevon Brazile struggled mightily on that end, never finding a rhythm, though he did contribute on the glass, leading the Razorbacks with seven rebounds.
Statistically, Arkansas did plenty of things well enough to win. The Razorbacks shot a blistering 57% from the field compared to LSU’s 46%, and the difference from beyond the arc was glaring, 45% from three for Arkansas, while LSU managed just 20%. Arkansas also moved the ball effectively, leading the way in assists and showing flashes of quality team basketball.
What kept LSU in the game was Arkansas’ inability to capitalize at the free-throw line. The Razorbacks shot a brutal 39%, while LSU knocked down 88% of its attempts. The Tigers also controlled the boards, outrebounding Arkansas 36–28, including more offensive rebounds that led to extra possessions. LSU’s physicality inside showed up as well, as they outscored Arkansas in the paint.
Despite all of that, Arkansas found a way, largely because of Acuff, as has become the norm.
The Razorbacks improve to 15–5 on the season and cap off a 2–0 week, a much-needed boost as they search for momentum. Currently ranked 20th, Arkansas should see a climb in the polls, though bigger tests still lie ahead.
It wasn’t their best performance. But in the SEC, escaping with a win is always welcomed, and Arkansas did exactly that.