How Mizzou Might Look to Contain Arkansas' Freshman Phenom Darius Acuff Jr.

Wednesday against Alabama, Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. reached a milestone that many recent greats never reached, 49 points. Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant and Trae Young are just a few names that never touched that total in a college game.

Acuff played all 50 minutes in the double-overtime loss, going 16-for-27 shooting, while adding five rebounds and five assists. This game accompanied by an outstanding freshman season should be warning signs to the Missouri Tigers of what the 6-foot-3 guard is capable of in Saturday's contest.

Missouri head coach, Dennis Gates, has witnessed how Acuff can tear apart defenses since the guard's high school days at IMG academy.

“During the process of high school, you can see how advanced he was in being able to penalize defenses... whether it's coming off ball screens, getting to the rim, shooting a mid range, knocking down threes, (or in) transition," Gates said.

Darius Acuff Jr. scores inside. — Feb 18, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) scores inside against Alabama forward Aiden Sherrell (22) at Coleman Coliseum. Alabama defeated Arkansas 117-115 in double overtime. Acuff Jr. led all scorers with a career high of 49 points. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News | Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Now in his first and likely only season at Arkansas, Acuff is averaging 22.3 points and 6.2 assists on 50.9 percent shooting and 44.3 percent 3-point shooting. Acuff accompanies his strong scoring output with a controlled offensive approach, averaging a mere two turnovers per game.

“He’s one of the top point guards in the country, if not the best," Gates said. "He'll have a great career beyond just college, but right now, you see a young man playing his best basketball, leading this team and being able to take just what the defense gives him."

So how does Missouri stop a freshman guard that can score in bunches and secure the ball with ease? The answer will have to come from within from two guards who have already had impressive seasons.

Look for Missouri to split the defensive assignment between guards, T.O. Barrett and Anthony Robinson II, to minimize a catastrophic 30 or 40-point performance from Acuff.

Both Barrett and Robinson have proven throughout the season that they are smart and speedy defensive players that can nag some of the top guards in the SEC. Robinson averages 1.7 steals in 26.9 minutes while Barrett has tallied 1.2 takeaways in 21.9 minutes.

Even while Robinson's offensive production has dipped this season, he's remained one of the best defenders in the conference.

"He's doing things that allow his team to win," Gates said of Robinson's defense. "He's one of our highest-graded defender defenders in the last couple games. You can impact the game a certain way, and that kid is impacting the game. He's impacting wins."

T.O. Barrett dives for a loose ball. — Feb 7, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Missouri Tigers guard T.O. Barrett (5) dives for a loose ball against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

The two may not force Acuff to cough up the ball frequently, as he has never turned the ball over more than four times in a game, but by splitting the time, the guards would be energized every time they take on the coveted star. The same goes for forcing Acuff to have a poor shooting night, as he has never shot worse than 38.9 percent in a conference game this season.

The fresh legs and nagging hands of Barrett and Robinson through all 40 minutes of the contest may not make Acuff a non-factor, but would severely decrease the possibility of another destructive performance from the formidable freshman.