Will Hogs' freshman star succumb to pressure in home state?

Darius Acuff Jr. won state championship in Michigan as sophomore, now set to face Michigan State

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. scored 17 points with seven assists in an exhibition game at Memphis. He had 22 points in the Hogs' season opener. | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo tried to get Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. to become a Spartan. Razorback fans are happy it didn't happen.

Acuff is a Detroit native who led his high scool to the state championship as a sophomore. That got him on Izzo's radar real fast.

"Coach Izzo came to my school, tenth grade," Acuff said. "I got a lot of respect for Coach Izzo. He recruited me a lot, a little bit in that summertime. And then, you know, ultimately, I came here, of course."

Arkansas and Michigan State square off Saturday at 6 p.m. in East Lansing, Mich. Fox will televise nationally.

Michigan State's coach Tom Izzo calls out to players during the first half against Colgate on Monday at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Asked Thursday how he felt about returning to Michigan, Acuff said he's excited.

"I haven’t played there in about two-and-a-half years, since the state championship game my sophomore year," Acuff said. "It’s going to feel good going back. I’m just ready to see everybody back home."

Earlier this week a Michigan writer inquired about his memories of winning the state title.

"Everything about it was exciting." Acuff said. "I don’t know, man. East Lansing, that was a great weekend right there, semifinals and state championship. That was definitely a dream come true. To win it with all my brothers, it was great for sure."

Prep school improved Acuff's game, readied him for Hogs

Acuff left Detroit and played his final two years of high school at the famed IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. He graduated with an advanced degree in hoops while facing the country's top players on a regular basis.

Here are highlights of Acuff's 34 points while leading a four-overtime win against the nation's No. 7 prospect, and top-ranked center, Chris Cenac, a 5-star recruit who is a freshman for Kelvin Sampson's Houston Cougars.

Just as importantly, Acuff learned how to handle himself off the court.

"That's one of the reasons I went, for that exact reason, to help me off the floor, just being better in those situations," Acuff said. "I stayed in dorms. I was there by myself. My family wasn't really there until the season. So just getting used to that life.

"It was different, for sure, but I got used to it, so it kind of became easy. Definitely my senior year. I credit coach Mac (Sean McAloon) for that. He built me for these moments like this, for sure."

Acuff said the IMG experience served him well while prepping him for college life.

"For sure, definitely," Acuff said. "Like the weight room, defensive principles, certain stuff that I didn't know when I got there. Yeah, there's a lot of stuff that (Coach McAloon) helped me with. It was, it's IMG, you know, it's like college."

Will Acuff handle pressure of playing in front of family and friends?

Now he's going home to Michigan and getting game tickets for lots of family and friends. But being nervous is not even a consideration.

"I can’t be," Acuff said. "It’s not even in my mind. I can’t wait to see everybody before the game. Of course I’m going to be excited to see them, but once the game gets started I’m going to forget that I’m even home. So I’m just worried about the game and leaving out there with a win."

He knows that won't be easy and has warned Arkansas teammates about what to expect when the Hogs invade Michigan State's Breslin Center.

Michigan State's 6-foot-10, 245-pound seniorJaxon Kohler (0) celebrates his basket and drawing a Colgate foul during the second half on Monday at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"I told them it’s going to be packed in there," Acuff said. "With the fans, they are crazy for sure. I know that for a fact. They are crazy, and, you know, they support Michigan State. Michigan State is a big school, big school. A lot of people from Detroit go to Michigan State."

Acuff said he grew up rooting for the Michigan Wolverines, not their archrival the Spartans.

How will Spartans' star guard measure up against Hogs?

He knows a tough challenge lies ahead for the Hogs in facing Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., a 6-foot-2 redshirt sophomore who was a 4-star recruit from Joliet, Ill.

Fears led MSU's 80-69 win over Colgate with 14 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and five steals.

"He got a great pace," Acuff said of Fears. "He plays the point guard very well. A lot of Izzo point guards play that way. But you just got to stay in front. Great college point guard and it's gonna be a good matchup for sure."

Acuff was the nation's No. 5 recruit and the No. 1 points guard, the prize of Arkansas coach John Calipari's terrific freshman class that includes 6-foot-5 guard Meleek Thomas, who was ranked the No. 13 overall preps player by 247 Sports and No. 11 by ESPN.

In the Hogs' season opener Monday against the Southern Jaguars, Acuff had 22 points and four assists. Thomas also starred with 21 points, seven assists and three steals.

Acuff led Hogs in winning efficiency in opener

Acuff led all the Hogs in the plus/minus category while on the court with 35, followed by senior forward Trevon Brazile (28), grad transfer center Nick Pringle (24), guard DJ Wagner (23) and Thomas (20).

Brazile led Arkansas with 25 points and 11 rebounds and will also be a key cog against Michigan State.

Acuff said he doesn't worry about being the star or reading about his certain future as a first-round NBA draft pick.

"That's how I was raised, just to stay humble at all times," Acuff said. "Can't get too high, can't get too low. But I think that's my character though, just being myself. "Yeah, I see it sometimes, but I try not to pay too much attention to it. But it's great definitely to know that I'm considered a top player."