Razorback Report: Pair of Arkansas players named to prestigious watchlist

Your daily briefing on what's going on with Arkansas Razorbacks' athletics

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr (5) shoots a free throw against the Winthrop Eagles during the first half at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 84-83. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Just before No. 21 Arkansas avoided a massive upset against Winthrop, two Razorbacks were identified as potential recipients of the sport’s biggest trophy.

D.J. Wagner and Darius Acuff Jr. were two of 50 players named to the John R. Wooden Award Watch List, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced on Tuesday.

Wagner was a preseason All-SEC selection after being a key player in the Razorbacks’ run to the Sweet 16 last season. He was the only player to start all 36 games, led the team in assists 16 times and had at least three assists 26 times (including 13 times with 5-plus assists).

Wagner also ranked second in the SEC in minutes (34:32) as he played all 20 minutes of a half 10 times and 30-plus minutes 32 times.

For Acuff, Tuesday’s announcement is just another in a long list of award watchlists to which he’s been named. So far, he’s received the following preseason honors:

• Naismith National Player of the Year Watch List (1 of 50)
• USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy POY Watch List (1 of 50)
• USBWA Wayman Tisdale Trophy FOY Watch List (1 of 25)
• Bob Cousy Award Watch List (1 of 20)
• Andy Katz’s Top 10 NCAA Freshmen
• Dick Vitale’s Diaper Dandies (1 of 5 National Impact Freshmen)
• All-SEC third team (Coaches)

Acuff has lived up to the hype through the first four games. Heading into Tuesday night’s game against Winthrop, Acuff led Arkansas with 19.8 points per game and a .500 shooting percentage.

He’s also averaging 3.3 rebounds per game and 42% from beyond the arch. Wagner’s stats aren’t as big as Acuff’s, but he is one of three Razorbacks with more than 100 minutes played this season and has averaged 9.5 ppg, three rebounds per game and 16 total assists.

Selected by a preseason poll of national college basketball experts, the list comprises of 50 student-athletes who are frontrunners for the most prestigious honors in college basketball: the Wooden Award All-American Team™ and the Wooden Award® Most Outstanding Player.

Yesterday’s Results

• Men’s Tennis: NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships
• Women’s Tennis: NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships
• Men’s Basketball: No. 21 Arkansas 84, Winthrop 83

Today’s Schedule

• Men’s Tennis: NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships
• Women’s Tennis: NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships
• Swimming and Diving: SMU Invite, All Day

Did You Notice?

• Arkansas men’s tennis player No. 123 Jakub Vrba advanced to the Round of 32 at the 2025 NCAA Singles Championships with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 win against No. 49 Peter Benjamin Privara of Harvard. Vrba becomes the first Razorback to advance past the Round of 64 since 2022 (Alex Reco) and looks to become the first Hog since 2018 (Jose Salazar) to advance to the Round of 16. Vrba will take on No. 92 Luca Pow (Wake Forest) tomorrow at 9 a.m. CT.

• The Arkansas swim and dive team is set to compete in the midseason SMU Invite, running from Wednesday to Saturday in Dallas. The Razorbacks are coming off a recent 208.5-88.5 victory over SMU earlier this month. In addition to Mustangs, the Razorbacks will compete against Drury, Hawaii, North Texas, Notre Dame, and Utah.