Acuff’s big night pushes Arkansas past Tennessee in SEC opener

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Conference play has a way of revealing what teams really are, and Arkansas fans it's a positive omen for the rest of the season.

Behind a career-high 29 points from freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr., the Razorbacks opened league play Saturday with an 86-75 victory over Tennessee at Bud Walton Arena.

After starting 0-5 last season, but having to battle their way to a Sweet 16 spot, they showed it's not the end of the world. Now everybody will see what happens when they start strong.

Arkansas improved to 11-3 overall and 1-0 in the SEC, snapping a short run of slow conference starts while giving the home crowd a reason to settle in for winter.

The Volunteers arrived with a reputation for toughness and efficiency, and they lived up to that billing early, trading baskets and refusing to let the Hogs separate.

Tennessee shot well most of the afternoon and stayed within reach even when Arkansas briefly surged in the first half.

The difference was not dominance but steadiness, especially when the game tightened late.

Arkansas leaned on balance, patience, and the calm of a freshman who played like he had been here before.

Acuff shot 9 of 16 from the field and knocked down the biggest shot of the day, a three-pointer with 2:09 left that pushed the Razorbacks’ lead to 79-68.

The basket came just as Tennessee threatened to turn a close game into a coin flip.

“I was just trying to make the right play,” Acuff said. “Coach tells us to be confident and take our shots with conviction.”

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Arkansas finds rhythm late

That confidence spread.

Meleek Thomas added 18 points, Malique Ewin finished with 12, and Karter Knox chipped in 11 as Arkansas placed four players in double figures.

No single run blew the game open, but one stretch midway through the second half tilted the floor.

Arkansas used an 18-5 run over 6 minutes and 37 seconds to flip a five-point deficit into an eight-point lead.

During that stretch, Tennessee missed eight straight shots and managed only two field goals on its next ten attempts.

The Razorbacks did not rush offense or chase highlights.

They waited for good looks, attacked the rim, and trusted the whistle.

Arkansas shot 29 of 33 from the free-throw line, quietly building a cushion that Tennessee never fully erased.

The Volunteers made life difficult with efficient shooting, finishing at 49 percent from the floor.

Amari Evans led Tennessee with 17 points and did not miss a shot, going 7 for 7.

But free throws told a different story. Tennessee went 12 of 23 at the line, leaving points behind that mattered when possessions shrank.

“We stuck to the process,” Arkansas’ coach said. “We just kept competing and playing our game.”

Tennessee Volunteers guard Amari Evans (1) drives against Arkansas Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazile (7) during the first half at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Useful start to conference play

This was not a loud win, but it was a useful one. Arkansas didn't overwhelm Tennessee with pace or pressure.

Instead, the Hogs won with composure, spacing, and an understanding of when to slow the game down.

That matters in a league where possessions tighten and whistles get louder in February.

The Razorbacks finished at 42 percent shooting overall, with Acuff the only Arkansas player above 50 percent from the floor.

They didn'tneed perfection. They needed reliability and got it.

The crowd of more than 19,000 saw a team comfortable being uncomfortable, a team that didn't panic when Tennessee crept close.

That calm showed most clearly in Acuff, whose late three settled both the scoreboard and the building.

Arkansas has reached the Sweet 16 in four of the past five seasons, and this game looked like one that fits that blueprint:

Balanced scoring.
Free throws made.
Mistakes absorbed without unraveling.
The SEC does not reward flash in January.
It rewards teams that handle moments.
The Razorbacks handled this one.

Arkansas will travel to Ole Miss next, carrying a conference win that counts the same as any other but feels heavier because of how it was earned.

Tennessee returns home to face Texas, searching for answers that were more subtle than glaring.

Key takeaways

Darius Acuff Jr.’s career-high 29 points included the decisive three late.
Four Razorbacks scored in double figures, easing pressure throughout the game.
Arkansas’ edge at the line separated two evenly matched teams.

Arkansas finds rhythm late

Useful start to conference play

Key takeaways

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