Exhibition gives Arkansas freshmen first chance to adjust to college game

Another young Calipari team gets taste of big stage as season draws near

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr., at a summer practice at the Eddie Sutton Practice Court in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

It's a hallmark of any John Calipari coached team. As the rest of college basketball moves towards older teams, Calipari has remained young.

Freshmen like Billy Richmond and Karter Knox, contributed to the Razorbacks having the youngest team in the SEC last season, according to KenPom's experience rating.

The Hogs are slightly older with the return of Knox, Richmond and DJ Wagner. Calipari also brought back fifth-year player Trevon Brazile alongside experienced transfers Malique Ewin and Nick Pringle. Still, seven new freshmen join the roster ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Meleek Thomas, Amere Brown, Darius Acuff, Elmir Džafić, Isaiah Sealy, Karim Rtail and Paolo Semedo all enter their first season of college basketball.

Dzafic, Rtail and Semedo all have varying amounts of international experience that should help the transition, but the irreplaceable veteran leadership is needed from the returners.

Razorbacks Isaiah Sealy at practice at the Eddie Sutton Practice Center in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

“We'll still be one of the youngest teams in the league,” Calipari said October 1. “You're saying, ‘Geez, you got an old team.’ Yeah, it's the youngest in the league. It's old for us. But, DJ's been really good [as a leader and] talking. You’ve got to talk to be that guy. TB's gotten way better, but you also got to perform. You can't lead the club in the tub. You got to be on that court practicing.”

Nothing replaces the speed and the talent of an actual game. Acuff and the rest of the freshmen will face a stern test right away. Cincinnati defeated Michigan 100-98 in a scrimmage Friday.

"All the veterans they all help us out," Acuff said. "Even the transfers, they all help us out. They've been through the college game, Nick, Malique, the four returners, they've been through the college game, the college physicality, just helping each other out. I don't feel like it's one person that's just doing it. It's everybody on the team helping each other out."

Teams often test different things in preseason scrimmages and often isn't a full representation of the full strength of a squad, but keeping pace with a top team is notable.

"They just came out fighting," Acuff said about Cincinnati. "They were the tougher team. We know we can’t come out on our home floor just lacking. We’ve got to come out tough because we know how they’re going to come. That’s two road games they’re playing in a row, so you know how they’re going to come out."

Acuff outlined the increased intensity in the college game since arriving on campus earlier this year.

"You could take a couple of breaks [in high school]," Acuff said. "College, you can't take no breaks. You gotta play hard all 40 minutes. You never know when the game is gonna change. So, you gotta be there even in practice. You gotta play hard every day. You can't come in lazy one day then the next day–You're playing hard every day."

Arkansas and Cincinnati tip off from Bud Walton Arena 7 p.m. Friday. The game will be streamed on SECN+.