Arkansas’ messy start, strong finish show where Calipari must guide Hogs

Razorbacks turned messy first half into convincing 82–58 win, offering hint of what Hogs could become

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari give directions during the second half against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Simmons Bank Arena. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Arkansas walked out of North Little Rock with an 82–58 win over Fresno State, the kind of score that normally allows a coach to breathe easier.

But John Calipari has never been a coach who lets a comfortable margin wash away the problems underneath. And on Saturday night, the Razorbacks gave him plenty to analyze.

For most of the first half, Arkansas looked frustrated and disconnected. Shots rimmed out, spacing tightened, and the offense never settled.

Even with a 34–24 halftime lead, the Razorbacks didn’t look sure of anything except that Fresno State was struggling just as much.

Calipari has coached teams that start slow before, but he knows when a group is drifting. Arkansas wasn’t unraveled, but it wasn’t sharp.

Possessions lacked pace. The edge he wants his teams to play with didn’t show up until the second half, and even then, it came in bursts.

Still, Calipari also knows the value in a team finding a path through a rough night. And when the Hogs finally flipped the game, they did it in the way he often preaches: with confidence, rhythm, and assertiveness.

What Arkansas revealed in the win was familiar to any coach building a program—signs of progress wrapped around reminders of what still needs work.

YESSIR pic.twitter.com/8lp5X5BdXN

— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) December 6, 2025

A needed spark, but not enough to hide slow start

The momentum shifted the moment Karter Knox buried a three on the opening possession of the second half. When he hit another on the next trip down, the entire building seemed to exhale.

Those two shots sparked a 16–2 run and woke up an Arkansas team that had played timidly for the first 20 minutes.

Knox finished with 11 points, four rebounds and three assists, and while the stat line was solid, the timing was everything.

Calipari needed someone to take ownership of the moment, and Knox’s confidence did exactly that. It showed the type of player-led response he wants as the Razorbacks grow.

Yet the spark also underscored the underlying issue: Arkansas shouldn’t require halftime to find its identity. The Razorbacks broke open the game, but Calipari won’t overlook how long it took to get there. Slow starts have become a pattern he knows could catch up to them.

Fresno State never recovered from that surge, but Calipari doesn’t coach with the scoreboard as his guide. He coaches with the future in mind, and the first half left questions that the second half didn’t erase.

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr (5) reaches for the ball between Fresno State Bulldogs guards DJ Stickman (6) and Zaon Collins (10) during the second half at Simmons Bank Arena. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Acuff’s strong finish shows promise, exposes challenge

Once Knox lit the fuse, Darius Acuff Jr. took command of the game.

Acuff scored 11 of his 18 points in the second half and added eight assists, controlling the pace in a way Arkansas desperately needed. His decision-making steadied the Hogs and allowed the offense to flow rather than grind.

Calipari has worked with elite guards his entire career, and he knows when one is beginning to understand the role.

Acuff played like that guard in the second half — calm, assertive and aware of what the team needed each trip down the floor.

DJ Wagner found rhythm as well, finishing with 12 points. It marked the first time since the Jackson State game that he and Knox both reached double figures.

For Calipari, that balance is a major point of emphasis. The Razorbacks need more than one scorer who can shift a game.

But even as Acuff delivered, the night reminded Calipari of the challenge ahead: Arkansas still leans heavily on him to create offense. The Razorbacks need more players willing to get things settled down and back rolling when the momentum fades.

That was my reaction too, Billy https://t.co/WGCKQDNK1t pic.twitter.com/922RQ2zvmo

— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) December 6, 2025

Richmond’s ejection keeps discipline on Calipari’s radar

Billy Richmond III gave Arkansas one of the biggest highlights of the night with a powerful dunk that brought the crowd to its feet.

Moments later, he gave Calipari another concern to circle. Richmond was thrown out after he elbowed a Fresno State player on an inbound play.

It was a moment that echoed earlier issues from the Winthrop game, when emotions nearly derailed the final seconds. Calipari has always demanded that his teams play with passion, not recklessness. Richmond’s exit, even in a game the Razorbacks led comfortably, showed the line is still too thin.

Calipari knows physicality is part of the sport, but he also knows that discipline is what decides tight games and seasons.

He won’t overlook what happened simply because Arkansas controlled the scoreboard.

A win Calipari values, but one he’ll study closely

The Razorbacks showed progress in the ways Calipari hoped they would. They found answers when the offense stalled. They leaned on defense when shots wouldn’t fall.

They responded to adversity with more maturity than earlier in the year. Knox, Wagner and Acuff played like a trio capable of leading a turnaround.

But the win also laid out the checklist Calipari refuses to ignore. The slow start. The uneven confidence. The emotional lapse that led to Richmond’s ejection.

These are not small notes for a coach building a program from the ground up.

Arkansas left with a 24-point win. Calipari left with a better understanding of what must be fixed before the Hogs can become the team he imagines.

A win helps. An honest evaluation helps more. On Saturday night, Calipari got both.

Key takeaways

• Arkansas’ sluggish first half remains a concern Calipari won’t overlook.
• Darius Acuff Jr. led the second-half shift with 18 points and eight assists.
• Billy Richmond III’s flagrant-2 ejection highlighted a discipline issue still lingering.