Hogs Find Out Seeding, Face Unique Team in First-Round

The Arkansas Razorbacks were still celebrating in Nashville when the announcement was made Sunday as to where they will begin their NCAA Tournament journey.

The Razorbacks are a No. 4 seed in the West Regional and will play the No. 13 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Thursday in Portland, Ore.

Times of each NCAA tourney game will be announced later. Arkansas, according to ESPN, is an early favorite over Hawaii by 15.5 points.

Arizona (32-2) is the No. 1 seed in the West. If the Hogs handle Hawaii, they'll square off with the winner of No. 5 Wisconsin (24-10) and No. 12 High Point (30-4).

CBS studio analyst Seth Davis picked Wisconsin, not the Hogs, to reach the Sweet 16 in that part of the West bracket.

The Purdue Boilermakers are the No. 2 seed in the West Region with the Gonzaga Bulldogs at No. 3.

ESPN star analyst says only one guy can carry team to title

Arkansas has two advantages over most teams when it comes to NCAA Tournament time. That's the experience of Hall of Fame coach John Calipari, who won the national championship in 2012 with Kentucky, and SEC Player of the Year Darius Acuff Jr., who'll be among the top seven, at least, picked in the upcoming NBA draft.

🏆 @SEC All-First Team 🏆

- @RazorbackMBB's Darius Acuff Jr.
- @Vol_Hoops' Ja’Kobi Gillespie
- @VandyMBB's Tyler Tanner
- @AlabamaMBB's Labaron Philon
- @GatorsMBK's Thomas Haugh pic.twitter.com/HFkTVOl8HP
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 9, 2026

Acuff added MVP of the SEC Tournament to his trophy case Sunday and the way he did it impressed ESPN analyst and former Duke Blue Devil Jay Bilas, who called the Hogs' win over Vanderbilt at courtside.

"We ask this every year, probably ever since Danny Manning led Kansas to the national championship in 1988," Bilas said. "But who's the guy who can put a team on his back and carry his team to a national championship?

"It's Darius Acuff. He's the one. If there's anyone, it's him."

Darius Acuff in the SEC title game:

30 PTS | 5-8 3PT | 11 AST | 37 MINS

best player in the country? pic.twitter.com/diPDG6BaKo
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) March 15, 2026

More praise from a former college coach about Hogs

ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg, a former coach for 22 seasons, most notably at Virginia Tech, also watched the Hogs in Nashville Sunday.

Greenberg talked about Trevon Brazile's defensive versatility and ability to switch on the perimete, giving the Hogs "switchability" to stop opposing offenses.

Of Acuff, Greenberg said, "He makes plays very few guys can make. Arkansas is a tough out because they can put the ball in Acuff's hands at the end of the game."

Darius Acuff was UNSTOPPABLE in the SEC Tournament for @RazorbackMBB 🔥

- 30.3 PPG
- 27-62 FG (43.5%)
- 12-24 3PT (50%)
- 25-29 FT (86%)

Is he the best guard in the country? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/vsPX1QCTE5
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 15, 2026

Invariably, Acuff gets a good shot for himself or a teammate. Yes, he handles the ball a lot, but that's why. And it's why the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors are in for a challenge they haven't ever faced.

Hawaii scored minor upset to reach the Big Dance

Hawaii was the No. 2 seed in the Big West Tournament. The Rainbow Warriors won, 71-64, to earn the automatic bid.

Hawaii, coached by Eran Ganot, is led by 7-foot senior center Isaac Johnson (14.1 points, 5.8 rebounds per game). He's followed closely by 6-foot-6 guard Dre Bullock (13.5, 5.8), a grad transfer from South Dakota.

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors coach Eran Ganot reacts following the 73-60 loss against Maryland Terrapins in the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Harry Rouhliadeff (10.8, 5.0) is a 6-foot-10 senior forward. The Rainbow Warriors out-rebound opponents by 39.3 to 32.8 and outscore them 79.6 to 69.7.

Problem for Hawaii is their most talented opponent this season is by far the Razorbacks. They lost to Oregon, a 12-20 team, by 60-59, and by 83-76 to Arizona State, which was 17-16 overall but 7-11 in the Big 12, tied for 11th among the 16 teams.

Well-known former coach predicts Razorbacks to go far

The Hogs likely moved from a No, 5 seed to No. 4 by virtue of their 86-75 win over Vanderbilt to win the SEC tournament Sunday.

Bruce Pearl, who coached Auburn to the No. 1 overall seed a year ago, was on the CBS TV studio set as a guest analyst Sunday. He was highly complimentary of the Razorbacks and Calipari.

Auburn Tigers coach Bruce Pearl and then-Kentucky Wildcats coach John Calipari shake hands before the game as Auburn Tigers take on Kentucky Wildcats at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. | Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

"This could be John Calipari's year," Pearl said. "They're playing really well and every night he's going to have the best player on the floor in Darius Acuff."

"I think they're dangerous as well," said former college and NBA player and longtime analyst Clark Kellogg. "Arkansas is extremely dangerous,"

The Razorbacks will look to extend their five-game winning streak in the 68-team NCAA Tournament.

Duke, the No. 1 overall seed in the field, beat Arkansas 80-71 in Chicago on Nov. 27. The Hogs hung tough, but couldn't stop ACC Player of the Year Cam Boozer and the Blue Devils' defense gave the young Razorbacks trouble.

John Calipari made history in leading both Arkansas and Kentucky to SEC Tournament titles 👏 pic.twitter.com/1xtWK18jyy
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 15, 2026

Hogs making a habit again of reaching Big Dance

This will be Arkansas' 37th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, their fifth in the last six years. Twice, Eric Musselman got the Hogs to the Elite Eight, but couldn't reach the Final Four.

But from 2002-14, the once proud Razorbacks' program was only invited to the Big Dance three times in 13 seasons. They've made 8-of-12 since and fans are loving it once more.

Arkansas is 52-36 overall during March Madnss with the only championship famously coming in 1994 over Duke.

That victory, of course, was in Charlotte, N.C., just 140 miles from Blue Devils' campus, but the Razorbacks and tournament Most Outstanding Player Corliss Williamson took down Duke and Hall of Famer Grant Hill, 76-72.

The knockout punch was this pressure-packed three-pointer from Hogs sophomore sharpshooter Scotty Thurman.

The Hogs again reached the national title game in '95 but the team of Williamson, Thurman, Corey Beck, Clint McDaniel and Dwight Stewart was beaten by UCLA and National Player of the Year Ed O'Bannon.

Calipari hopes to win second national title for himself and Arkansas

Calipari, who won the national championship in 2012 when he led the Kentucky Wildcasts' program, left the Bluegrass State for Northwest Arkansas two years ago.

He's guided the Razorbacks to two NCAA Tournaments in two seasons. Last year, the Hogs fought their way to the Big Dance after suffering a 1-5 start in SEC games.

They won five of their final seven games in 2025 to get a No. 10 seed in the NCAA's 68-team bracket. Despite missing leading scorer Adou Thiero, who was also injured during the last-season push, and getting little from second-leading scorer Boogie Fland due to a hand injury, the Hogs continued to excel.

They scored a 79-72 minor upset of Hall of Fame coach Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks in the their tourney opener and a major upset of No. 2 St. John's and Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino.

Both those wins were in Providence, R.I., with St. John's fans providing what should've been a homecourt edge.

Now Calipari, with a better team than a year ago, will see if the Hogs can dance further into March Madness than last year. That would mean, of course, at least a trip to the Elite Eight.