Arkansas begins exhibition play focused on lineup chemistry, rebounding

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The long wait for Arkansas basketball is nearly over.

The Razorbacks return to Bud Walton Arena on Friday night to open their preseason exhibition slate against Cincinnati, followed by a Monday matchup at Memphis.

Both teams joined an event with Springdale Public Schools on Friday.

Though the results won’t count, the next few days will mark an early look at how John Calipari’s second Arkansas team fits together with a blend of high-scoring guards, energetic defenders, and a frontcourt built to fix last year’s rebounding struggles.

Exhibition games tend to blur the line between evaluation and experimentation.

Coaches often shift lineups, test new combinations, and keep strategic wrinkles under wraps. Rarely do they show who’s comfortable, who’s learning fast, and which players can translate practice confidence into game performance.

Among the biggest storylines of the fall has been how freshman Darius Acuff and sophomore D.J. Wagner will share the backcourt.

Both arrived at Arkansas as elite playmakers — strong off the dribble, aggressive to the rim, and capable of creating their own shot.

Calipari admitted the two haven’t spent much time paired together in practices, but that combination could eventually define the team’s identity. During the Razorbacks’ Tip-Off Tour in Hot Springs, Acuff and Wagner showed flashes of understanding, trading scoring bursts and feeding off each other’s drives.

“I feel like I can play with everybody on the team,” Acuff said. “We’re all getting used to playing with each other, so it’s definitely getting to that point where it’s kind of easy to play with most people.”

In those intrasquad scrimmages, Acuff unofficially tallied 20 points and four rebounds, while Wagner scored 18. Calipari praised Acuff’s natural scoring instincts and noted Wagner’s improved perimeter shot, saying both could handle or play off the ball depending on rhythm and matchups.

“When Darius is really scoring,” Calipari said, “you’ve got to get him off the ball some. So that means those two together.”

Billy Richmond enters his sophomore season with a familiar reputation — an athletic defender and relentless worker who thrives near the rim. But this fall, the emphasis has shifted to balance and rhythm in his shooting form.

“It’s more like getting under my shot with my hands and my feet, just being more on balance,” Richmond said. “Keeping my elbows tucked in, finding a rhythm, and going every day trying to perfect it.”

Last season, nearly three-fourths of Richmond’s shots came in the paint or around the rim, according to CBBAnalytics. His perimeter attempts were rare, but he’s worked through the summer to add confidence from distance.

Calipari has continued to stress conditioning, urging Richmond to stay in elite shape because of his high-energy style on both ends. “The things I do, he says it’s hard to do and not everybody can do it,” Richmond said. “So I’ve just got to try to be in the best shape of my life.”

The Razorbacks’ preseason scrimmages have shown a willingness to let anyone advance the ball, regardless of position. That approach reflects Calipari’s preference for freedom — whoever rebounds, runs.

“Whoever’s going’s just going,” Richmond said. “Whoever’s got the hot hand, just give it to him. That’s how I see this going.”

Turnovers surfaced early in Hot Springs, but the team improved as the scrimmages continued. The movement looked sharper, the passes more deliberate, and the confidence stronger.

The goal for the exhibitions is to keep that pace without losing possession control. It's a challenge that could shape how quickly the offense gels before the opener.

Arkansas’ trio of Malique Ewin, Nick Pringle, and Trevon Brazile offers Calipari an intriguing mix of size and mobility. Each can handle the ball, pass from the top of the key, and finish above the rim.

“I would say we’re connected,” Ewin said. “We get after each other every day. The frontcourt is just unbelievable.”

Ewin, known for his guard-like instincts, even pushed the ball up the floor during scrimmages. Brazile, stronger after an offseason in the weight room, appears more assertive in the paint. Pringle’s physicality and underrated passing should add stability down low.

Those traits align with one of Calipari’s biggest offseason messages — improving rebounding. The Razorbacks finished in the bottom half of Division I in both offensive and defensive boards last season, according to KenPom. The new frontcourt was built to change that.

“You have to have a post presence, or your team’s a fraud,” Calipari said at SEC Media Days. “There are times we’ve got to get a free basket when we’re not making any shots. We should be a terrific rebounding team, both offense and defense.”

Friday’s game against Cincinnati — which topped No. 7 Michigan in an early scrimmage — and Monday’s trip to Memphis will give Calipari a clearer idea of how ready his team is.

These exhibitions aren’t about records or rankings. They’re a measuring stick for rhythm, effort, and cohesion. With so many new faces, the Razorbacks’ goal is simple: take two weeks of live action and turn them into a foundation for the months ahead.

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