As March approaches and postseason pressure tightens, stars are either revealed, or they take over.
For Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr., the takeover may already be underway.
Darius Acuff Jr. Could Be Next for a Kemba Walker-Type March Run
On College GameDay this past weekend, analyst Seth Greenberg didn’t hesitate when discussing the nation’s most dependable performers. Grenberg went into saying:
“Because of the situation he’s in, the guy you can count on each and every night is Darius Acuff at Arkansas,” Greenberg said. “What he did the other night, 49 (points). He played 50 minutes, only 1 turnover, 5 assists, made big shots, got to the rim. (He is) maybe the best layup shooter in college basketball."
“Reminds me of Dame Lillard in terms of his ability to create separation, jump up and knock down 3s. When the ball’s in his hands, good things happen. … He can have a Kemba-type run in the NCAA Tournament.”
That last comparison is the one that should make college basketball fans pause.
When Greenberg referenced a “Kemba-type run,” he was invoking one of March’s most iconic heaters, Kemba Walker carrying UConn Huskies to a national championship in 2011 something Acuff has the opportunity to do as well.
Walker didn’t just win games, he seized them. Took them over in every sense of the word and led his team to the promise land.
Across his final 11 games that season, Walker averaged 24.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.1 steals while playing nearly 38 minutes per night. He topped 30 points three times during that stretch, dismantling defenses with step-backs, fearless drives, and late-game daggers.
All season long, Acuff has been exactly what Arkansas needed: steady, explosive, and unshakeable. While others recognized his talent, few could have predicted just how quickly everything would click.
He has now extended his program record for most consecutive games to begin a freshman season scoring 10+ points, 28 straight games and counting. The previous mark? 13 games by Isaiah Joe during the 2018–19 season.
Darius Acuff has extended his @RazorbackMBB record of most games to begin a freshman season scoring 10+ points in each game - 28 games now. Previous record was 13 by Isaiah Joe in 2018-19. More than doubled it up.
— HogStats.com (@HogStats) February 26, 2026
Acuff didn’t just break the record.
He doubled it.
Why the Comparison Makes Sense
And he’s heating up at precisely the right time. Around the same time that Kemba became the iconic college basketball legend.
The freshman star has poured in 20+ points in nine straight games, elevating his three-point percentage to 43% on the season. His shot creation has become surgical. And his poise late in games has transformed Arkansas from competitive to dangerous.
Like Walker in 2011, Acuff thrives in chaos. He can create separation off the dribble, rise up over defenders, and deliver daggers from deep. There’s a rhythm to his scoring bursts, a sense that once he finds it, there’s little a defense can do to stop it.
The SEC Tournament is approaching. March Madness is looming. And as the stakes rise, Arkansas will go as far as its star guard can take it. From the early looks of it, Acuff doesn't shy away from these moments either.
If Acuff continues this trajectory; if the shot-making, the efficiency, and the late-game dominance hold, don’t be surprised if the phrase “Kemba run” starts gaining traction in Fayetteville.
Because sometimes March doesn’t crown the best team.
It crowns the hottest one with a little luck sometimes.
And right now, Darius Acuff Jr. is on a heater.