Acuff Guaranteed to Start Filling Up Hogs' Record Book Barring Injury

Fans about to watch legendary marks fall as freshman climbs numerous Arkansas Razorbacks stat rankings

Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) drives the ball against Florida Gators guard Urban Klavzar (7) during the first half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. | Travis Register-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Only the most delusional Razorbacks fans watched Wednesday night's game between Arkansas and Texas as anything other than a proper farewell to Bud Walton Arena for Hogs' guard Darius Acuff, Jr. and forward Trevon Brazile.

Both seem destined to be in the NBA in a few months in some form or another. So, to close the show, the two combined for 56 points, 10 rebounds, 14 assists, two steals, three blocks and only four turnovers.

That's a strong stat line. The turnovers are especially impressive considering how much those two handled the ball in a combined 72 minutes in what was a wild game of who can throw the craziest pass for a dunk.

However, as the season comes to an end, the pair is chasing history. It's a run that got a huge boost from Wednesday's performances toward records a lot of Razorbacks fans have no clue exist. For Brazile, it's pretty simple.

He is trying to add all he can to his overall stats because he has never really had a chance at seeing what the numbers would look like if he put together a full healthy, completely focused season. For instance, Brazile hung around in the 100s his first two seasons for total points and the low 200s the next two seasons, but with a bit of stability in his life this year, he is one good game against Mizzou from breaking 400.

If he has a good run in the SEC and NCAA Tournament, he could easily push for 500 points, which would easily double his previous career high of 231 posted last season. He has also shattered career highs for free throw percentage (75.2), rebounds (205), assists (46), blocks (47), steals (43) and three-pointers made (35).

As for Acuff, he is in line to start knocking down Arkansas records for the entire program. The first, and most likely to fall, is the Hogs' SEC scoring record.

Currently held by Mason Jones, a guard who anchored the beginning of the Eric Musselman era, the only requirement to lay claim to this one by Acuff is pretty much just make sure he is on the bus. Acuff sits at 422 points on the season in SEC play.

Jones' record is 424 points, which he set back in 2020. That means if Acuff hits a single shot, he is at least tied for the record.

His 28-point outburst against Texas also made it feasible for Acuff to possibly snag the school record for points in a single season. Heading into the game, he trailed Ron Brewer, JD Notae and Sydney Moncrief which occupied Nos. 8-10 in the school record books.

Arkansas guard Darius Acuff is in line to break the single season scoring record. | allHogs Facebook

Brewer is officially out of the Top 10 now and Notae and Moncrief have dropped into a tie for No. 9/10. That means Acuff sits alone at No. 8.

If he were to go off and put up 30 points, Acuff would shoot up the rankings to No. 5, overtaking Corliss Williamson for the spot. That would set up an improbable, but still possible run at Todd Day for the most points in a season.

The prized guard of the Nolan Richardson era posted 786 points in 1991 as the Hogs routinely topped the 100-point mark each game. That means 91 points would be required for Acuff to tie Day under the scenario where he scores enough against Missouri to at least tie Williamson Saturday.

As of late, Acuff has been running around 22 points per game on average. Because of this, he needs a pair of games in the SEC Tournament, which would require Arkansas to make the semifinals, and the Hogs would need a run to the Sweet 16.

If that happens, then barring an injury, the math says Razorbacks fans will see a new scoring champion for a single season. That would officially give Acuff three school scoring records as he already has the mark for most points scored in an SEC game with 49 against Alabama.

However, Acuff is more than just a scoring machine. He also puts up a lot of assists.

The 13 assists he posted against Texas Wednesday night tied Lee Mayberry for third in school history for a single game. To start making a little noise in the Arkansas record books for assists, Acuff has to climb into the 200+ range.

It so happens he currently sits at 193, which means if he has an average night, he likely will leave Columbia, Missouri with 200 assists heading into the postseason. That will put him just behind Mayberry's 1992 season of 202 assists which currently holds the No. 5 spot.

At that point, the run to the team record is probably going to require around three games, which is almost guaranteed. The Hogs just have to win a single postseason game to get there.

The target is 219, a record established by Kareem Reid in 1996. Acuff puts up 6.4 assists per game, so simply being average beginning this weekend will tie that record with odds high it gets shattered before all is said and done.

And for the record, pun definitely intended, Reid holds the assist title by a large margin. Mayberry's 1991 season of 209 currently holds the No. 2 spot.

So, for those keeping count, definitely tune in to the next several Hogs games because at least two more records are about to fall with a solid chance a third goes, leaving Acuff holding four school records if all goes well.

At that point he can definitely be given the unofficial title of undisputed best freshman to ever wear an Arkansas uniform.