Razorback freshmen Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff Jr. delivered another breakout performance Wednesday night, leading No. 17 Arkansas to a dominant 108–74 victory over South Carolina at Bud Walton Arena. The win served as a much-needed response after Arkansas’ surprising blowout loss to Auburn and showcased the team’s maturity despite its youthful core.
Freshmen Acuff Jr. and Thomas Power Arkansas’ Rout
Thomas poured in 21 points and collected four steals, while Acuff orchestrated the offense with 18 points and a career-high 13 assists. Acuff’s passing fueled a season-best 27 assists for the Razorbacks, who also committed just four turnovers, an elite level of efficiency that highlighted Arkansas’ renewed focus and discipline.
The Razorbacks overwhelmed South Carolina in nearly every specialty category, outscoring the Gamecocks 22–2 in points off turnovers, 66–36 in the paint, 32–7 on fast breaks, and 47–15 in bench scoring. That across-the-board dominance reflected a team that quickly put the Auburn loss behind it and returned to playing the brand of basketball it knows best.
Thomas continued his steady rise, missing just one shot on the night while shooting an ultra-efficient 8-of-9 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 from three-point range. It marked the fourth time this season he eclipsed the 20-point mark. While Acuff’s excellence has garnered much of the attention this season, Thomas’ growth has been just as important, and increasingly impossible to ignore.
Acuff recorded his third double-double of the season, with his 13 assists tying for the sixth-most in a game by a Razorback, the second-most in an SEC game, and the second-most ever by a Razorback freshman. The impact of these two rookies cannot be overstated; how far Arkansas goes in the SEC standings, and eventually in March, will largely hinge on their continued development. When both are clicking, the Razorbacks look like a completely different team.
The offensive explosion marked the fifth time Arkansas has scored at least 100 points this season, and the 108 total tied for the sixth-most points scored in an SEC game. The 34-point margin of victory also tied for the sixth-largest in conference play.
Team Effort Fueled by Depth and Defensive Intensity
The Razorbacks received contributions throughout the lineup. Former Gamecock Nick Pringle recorded a season-high 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds, six on the offensive glass, while also tying a season high with three assists. Malique Ewin led the team with 18 points, Trevon Brazile added 13, and D.J. Wagner chipped in 12. It was a complete team effort offensively, paired with a much-improved defensive intensity.
For South Carolina, Meechie Johnson led all scorers with 29 points and was the only Gamecock to reach double figures. Holding an opponent to just one double-digit scorer is a significant step forward for Arkansas defensively, and it’s clear that head coach John Calipari is making that end of the floor a priority as the season progresses.
After a stumble against Auburn, Arkansas delivered exactly the type of performance it needed, focused, efficient, and relentless. If the Razorbacks can sustain this level of play, especially from their talented freshmen, they have the tools to make serious noise both in the SEC and beyond.