It's becoming a challenge to think of the correct way to describe how Darrius Acuff Jr. has looked for Arkansas. The baby-faced freshman has been on FIRE late in the season and he was once again brilliant in the win over High Point.
Arkansas' first-round rotation shows John Calipari is not afraid to play with fire
Behind Acuff's 36 points, the Razorbacks were able to post a 94-88 win and a trip to the Sweet 16 is on the way. In the victory, Acuff was able to make some program history, becoming the team's all-time single-season leading scorer. As you might have been able to guess, the youngster was as unselfish as possible after learning he's No. 1 on the list. You've got to love how humble he is:
"Winning. That's the only thing on my mind."@RazorbackMBB star Darius Acuff on his mentality down the stretch vs. High Point pic.twitter.com/KCRSNdLuJn
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 22, 2026
Darius Acuff Jr. has Arkansas fans believing in the NCAA Tournament
"It's been a great journey," Acuff said. "A lot of learning. I'm going to keep learning and it's been great playing with these guys (teammates). Like I always say, I love playing with them, so I want to continue that."
What a fantastic mindset for Acuff to have. He's looking like one of the top players in the country and he just made Arkansas history. Despite that, he's quick to say he's ready to keep learning from John Calipari and that he's loving going to work with his teammates? That's the kind of maturity you'd expect from a senior, not a freshman.
To make things better for the Arkansas faithful, the Razorbacks as a whole are playing with a ton of confidence. The SEC Tournament title win gave this group some extra pep in its step and you can tell they're all having a ton of fun while posting key wins too.
Next up is a trip to San Jose for the Sweet 16, where either Arizona or Utah State will be on the way. Regardless of who the Razorbacks take on, Coach Cal will have his players locked in mentally knowing that two more wins are needed to get to the Final Four. If Arkansas shocks everyone by doing so, Acuff will be ready to answer the call from his head coach.