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Can Razorbacks Turn Clock Back to 1994 and Beat Arizona Again?

Challenge even greater for Acuff and his mates in battle which features four fantastic freshman
Bob Stephens|
Arkansas Razorbacks All-American point guard Darius Acuff Jr. drives against High Point. He scored 36 in the Hogs' second-round NCAA Tournament victory.
Arkansas Razorbacks All-American point guard Darius Acuff Jr. drives against High Point. He scored 36 in the Hogs' second-round NCAA Tournament victory. | Munir El-Khatib-allHOGS Images

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Arkansas Razorbacks

Yes, it's been 32 years since Arkansas dispatched Arizona in the Final Four before dusting Duke in the Blue Devils' backyard to win the 1994 national championship.

But some Arizona Wildcat fans have not forgotten. I got a message today from a co-worker friend who knows I hail from Northwest Arkansas.

He is a sports enthusiast and a thoughtful, intelligent guy. What he sent me was a a graphic of tonight's Sweet 16 matchup with this comment:

"Wildcat nation owes the Razorbacks for that 1994 debacle."

Some folks just can't let it go, right? Fact is, the Kittens got revenge by beating the Hogs 83-73 two seasons later in Fayetteville, on Nov. 17, 1995.

The two schools haven't played since but what sticks in everyone's mind is not that early-season matchup in the 1995-96 season.

It's that Final Four semifinal when Corliss Williamson's 29 points and 13 rebounds led the hungry and scrappy Hogs to a 91-82 win over the Wildcats in Charlotte, N.C.

Arizona was led by a pair of sensational guards that helped Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson's team cruise into the Final Four.

Damon Stoudamire was the No. 7overall pick in the 1995 NBA draft, won Rookie of the Year honors and played 13 seasons in the league. Khalid Reeves was 1994's 12th overall choice and lasted six yeasrs in the NBA.

Arkansas' defense, spearheaded as usual by guards Corey Beck and Clint McDaniel, held Reeves and Stoudamire to a combined 11-for-43 shooting, an atrocious 25.5%. Even worse, they were 2-for-22 from beyond the 3-point arc.

The game was tied at 41 at halftime before the Razorbacks -- taking their cue from determined Hall of Fame coach Nolan Richardson, as usual -- exerted their will.

Scotty Thurman complemented his buddy, Williamson, with14 points and eight boards, while they each led the Hogs wtih five assists each.

Thurman, of course, hit the iconic 3-pointer that sunk Duke in the final minute two nights later as Arkansas cut down the nets.

History means nothing and Arizona is better team

In tonight's Sweet 16 matchup between No. 1 seed Arizona and No. 4 seed Arkansas, the roles are reversed from 36 years ago.

The Wildcats have the better team, as proven throughout this season. Does Arkansas have a chance? Sure, becaus they've got a lot of talent, too.

But Arizona is favored for a reason and that's largely because of their strong and talented front court. If they control the paint and the boards, and keep Arkansas' perimeter players from cashing in at the rim, the Hogs will have little chance to advance.

If Hogs are to tame Wildcats, defense will be key again

Arizona's talent is superior to the Hogs, so Hall of Fame coach John Calipari's team has little room for error. The difference, which is often the case, could be decided by which team buckles down best on defense and avoids turnovers.

Through games of March 15, the end of conference tournaments, Arizona was No. 3 in the NCAA Net Rankings. Now 34-2, the 'Cats of coach Tommy Lloyd, are desrving of their No. 1 seed in the West Region.

Arkansas (28-8) is No. 15 in that ranking, 8-8 against Quad 1 opponents, although the Hogs were the first team in history to play all Elite Eight schools from last season.

Still, Arizona is 16-2 against Quad 1 competition. That includes a six-point win over Florida, by four against UConn, a 21-point drubbing of Alabama in Birmingham, Ala., two wins against Iowa State (by 16 and two, and a pair of victories over Houston (by seven and five).

If you haven't noticed, all of those listed above are in the Sweet 16 except defending champion Florida. UConn, Houston and Iowa State are all No. 2 seeds and 'Bama is a No. 4, same as Arkansas.

'Zona is a 7.5-point favorite according to FanDuel Sportsbook and anyone who's seen Arizona understands why. The 'Cats are big

Wildcats' defense might be too much for even Acuff and mates

Arkansas outscores its opponents 90.3 to 80.3. Arizona dominates with a 17.7-point differential, scoring 86.1 and holding foes to just 68.4.

If the Hogs don't show up large on defense and on the boards, they could lose by double digits. But there is one reason that shouldn't happen.

The reason is Darius Acuff Jr. The Wildcats are probably tired of hearing how they have to slow the slick, strong, crafty shot-maker from Detroit who gets a shot anytime he wants and still makes teammates better.

Can Arizona slow Acuff, force other Hogs beat them?

Arkansas' first-team All-American freshman point guard has averaged 30.2 points during the post-season as the Hogs won the SEC Tournament -- he was MVP -- and knocked off NCAA Tournament double-digit seeds Hawaii and High Point.

But against the likes of Arizona, Acuff can't do it all. He might make the difference in the final minutes if it's close because he usually does but other Razorbacks have to shine to keep this one up for grabs till the end.

That means Meleek Thomas also needs to have one of his best outings, and he's played extremely well in the Hogs' first two NCAA Tournament wins.

If Thomas scores, and especially shoots well from 3-point land, that will take pressure off of Acuff and stretch the Arizona defense further to open up driving lanes for Billy Richmond III and room for big men Trevon Brazile and Malique Ewin to operate.

Can Brazile shine in this spotlight against Arizona bigs?

If Brazile, in particular, can excel on both ends of the floor, the Hogs could walk away with an upset. The video above shows how the fluid 6-foot-10 forward can protect the rim with blocked shots. This highlight reel has several dunks that make you want to rewind to watch again.

Brazile is the Hogs' third-leading scorer at 13.7 and yanks down 7.4 rebounds but it's his ability to hit the occasional 3 and defend the rim that helps ignite the Hogs emotionally.

Calipari has a knack of having his teams hyped for the biggest games and this one certainly qualifies. His kids will have to play with a razor-sharp focus or flirt with falling too far behind.

Not many folks are picking the Hogs but everyone knows Acuff will be the best player on the floor and might be most dominant in the tournament.

One of the Hogs' potential problems is they have to play tough defense without fouling. Brazile and Ewin must play well and avoid foul trouble or this one could be a nightmare for Coach Cal's kids.

If those two or Richmond are sitting next to Calipari, not even Superman (that's Acuff) is likely to save the day.

Chance for talented young 'Cats to shine against Acuff

While Acuff (23.3 points per game) and Thomas (15.6) are the highest-scoring freshman combo in the country, Arizona boasts its own diaper dandies.

Freshmen Brayden Burries (16.0) and Koa Peat (13.7) top the 'Cats in scoring. Also dangerous is Jaden Bradley (13.3), a 6-foot-3 senior guard who made the All-SEC Freshman Team in 2023 while staring 22 of 37 games for Alabama.

Burries was a 5-star recruit, the No. 9 prep star from a year ago. Peat , a 6-foot-8 forward, as the No. 11 recruit.

That should be a show worth watching as Acuff was the country's No. 5 recruit and Thomas came in at No. 13.

Tipoff is at 8:45 Central at the SAP Center in San Jose, California, presumably giving Arizona an edge from the crowd. The game will be carried nationally by CBS.

For the second straight season, Calipari is trying to guide Arkansas to the Elite Eight, a goal that fell short a year ago with a Sweet 16 loss by two points in overtime to Texas Tech.

If the Razorbacks are disappointed again, it'll also be the last chance to see Acuff perform in an Arkansas uniform. That's reason enough in itself to stay up late for what should be an exciting matchup.

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Bob Stephens
BOB STEPHENS

Bob Stephens won more than a dozen awards as a sportswriter and columnist in Northwest Arkansas from 1980 to 2003. He started as a senior for the 1975 Fayetteville Bulldogs’ state championship basketball team, and was drafted that summer in the 19th round by the St. Louis Cardinals but signed instead with Norm DeBriyn's Razorbacks, playing shortstop and third base. Bob has written for the Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, New Jersey Star-Ledger, and many more. He covered the Razorbacks in three Final Fours, three College World Series, six New Year’s Day bowl games, and witnessed many track national championships. He lives in Colorado Springs with his wife, Pati. Follow on X: @BobHogs56

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