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ESPN Says Arkansas Razorbacks Freshman Darius Acuff Jr. Stacks Up Against All Ages Now

Hogs' heralded star makes mark among all comers in college basketball, setting stage for NBA Draft
Andy Hodges|
Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) drives to the basket against Georgia Bulldogs guard Blue Cain (0) during the second half at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Ga.
Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) drives to the basket against Georgia Bulldogs guard Blue Cain (0) during the second half at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Ga. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

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Arkansas Razorbacks

The basketball season is finally deep enough into conference schedules to sort out which Power Four players are legitimate and which simply stacked up big stats while spending their nights on the courts against lesser opponents..

That’s why ESPN’s midseason ranking of the top players in men’s college basketball matters. It’s not about hype anymore. It’s about what’s help up to the test of quality competition.

For Arkansas fans, the list mainly affirmed what most of them were already thinking based on social media posts and conversations at the type of local establishments that serve their coffee black, cheap and in a styrofoam cup. Freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. checked in at No. 11 nationally, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with veteran stars and future pros.

He comes in one spot above Texas Tech sophomore guard Christian Anderson and just behind No. 10 fellow freshman guard Kingston Flemings of Houston.

That ranking didn’t come from promise or projection. It came from production. Acuff has been one of the most consistent guards in the country through the first half of the season.

ESPN ranked 13 freshmen among the Top 50 players, with three landing in the first four. That depth among the newbies pushed a lot of experienced players down the board.

Even with guys like freshmen Duke's Cam Boozer and BYU's AJ Dybantsa pushing into the first couple of spots, Acuff managed to stay near the top with tough, gritty performances when the national spotlight has shined brightest. For a first-year guard playing in the SEC, that placement says plenty about what he’s meant to the Razorbacks so far.

He’s been more than a scorer. Acuff’s been Arkansas’ steady hand when games get tight and defenses clamp down.

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr., puts up a shot against the Oklahoma Sooners
Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr., puts up a shot against the Oklahoma Sooners in a game at the Loyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla. | Arkansas Communications

A Freshman Holding His Ground

Midseason rankings don’t reward flashes. They look for continuity across as wide of a range of skills as possible.

That’s where Acuff has separated himself from the pack.

He’s faced some of the toughest match-ups college basketball can offer. Night after night, opposing defenses, many from Top 25 teams, have treated him like a veteran scorer.

That hasn’t slowed him. ESPN noted his ability to stack strong performances even as the schedule toughened and scouting reports grew longer.

In fact, his scoring appears to be going up as time goes on and his assists show up in the highlight reels almost as much as his shots do now. He has developed a keep eye for cutters and can thread the needle through heavy traffic or put the ball on a pinhead while running full speed to teammates for precision dunks.

One of his biggest moments came in a 31-point performance against LSU, a game that showed how comfortable he’s become carrying offensive responsibility.

That night wasn’t just about scoring. It was about control. Acuff dictated pace and made defenders pay for mistakes.

For the Hogs, it’s meant trusting a freshman with late-game decisions. So far, that trust has paid off more often than not.

Acuff hasn’t tried to do everything himself. That balance has kept Arkansas competitive in close games.

Learning the Other Side of the Ball

For all the scoring praise, Acuff hasn’t pretended he’s finished growing. That’s part of why his ranking feels stable instead of fragile.

One thing he has been open about is his desire to be more of a leader on the defensive side of the ball as well. He is beginning to understand that stopping someone from scoring is essentially the same as him or one of his teammates knocking one down.

Calipari harps on a lot of the same generic slogans all other coaches try to hammer into their players' heads. For instance, defense travels, which is a lesson that is especially hard for freshmen who were playing AAU ball just a few months earlier where defense was optional at best..

Acuff’s willingness to focus on his need to grow as a defender has helped the Razorbacks survive stretches when offense wasn’t smooth. Getting key stops or generating a turnover that turned into a transition basket helped Arkansas get the edge when things turned out to be tight in the end.

He’s also shown growth as a facilitator. When defenses load up, he’s been willing to move the ball and trust teammates.

That has made Arkansas harder to guard than teams led by one-dimensional guards. The offense doesn’t stall when his shot isn’t falling.

For a freshman, that awareness is rare. However, the season’s second half will test that maturity even more as play transitions into postseason tournament battles.

What the Ranking Really Means

Being No. 11 at midseason doesn’t guarantee anything. It doesn’t lock in awards or force NBA teams to view him as a lottery pick.

What it does show is where Acuff stands right now. He’s no longer chasing respect because lists like this show he’s already earned it.

It also reflects a broader shift in college basketball. Freshmen aren’t waiting their turn anymore. They’re running teams.

It also shows how much trust he has been able to earn with Calipari who has simply turned him loose on Razorbacks opponents as of late.

And for the Hogs, that’s a solid place to be as the calendar flips to the stretch run.

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Andy Hodges
ANDY HODGES

Sports columnist, writer, former radio host and television host who has been expressing an opinion on sports in the media for over four decades. He has been at numerous media stops in Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi.

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