John Calipari’s postgame revelation makes Darius Acuff’s huge night vs. Alabama even more wild

In a game loaded with college basketball stars and future NBA talent, Arkansas’s Darius Acuff Jr. was clearly the best player on the floor in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday night. Yet, the Arkansas point guard’s 49-point outing wasn’t enough to down the Crimson Tide, who held on to win 117-115 in double overtime. 

Though he missed a shot at the end of each overtime, first with a chance to win the game, then with a chance to force a third overtime, Acuff was near perfect, finishing 16-27 from the field, and 6-10 from three with five rebounds, five assists, and only one turnover. Somehow, that statline isn’t the most impressive thing about his performance. 

After the game, Arkansas head coach John Calipari revealed that his freshman superstar had spent the previous two days in a walking boot before dominating the Tide at Coleman Coliseum. Despite the nagging injury, Acuff never considered not suiting up for a key SEC showdown. 

“I said, 'You think you might have to miss this game?’ And he said, ‘Are you nuts?” Calipari recounted in the postgame press conference. 

Darius Acuff Jr. spent two days in a walking boot before dropping 49 in loss to Alabama

Heading into the game, Acuff’s previous season-high was 31 points, which he did twice, including Arkansas’s previous game, an 88-75 win over Auburn in Fayetteville. Acuff shot 10-15 from the field and 7-10 from three in that one. 

Even after a loss, Acuff’s recent breakout makes Arkansas look like a terrifying matchup in the SEC Tournament, especially when you consider that the Razorbacks essentially entered the game with a seven-man rotation and played Acuff 50 minutes with 6-foot-6 sophomore wing Karter Knox out with an injury. 

Wednesday night’s game was one of wild swings. A 22-3 run for Arkansas in the first half opened a massive lead, and the Razorbacks again pulled out in front by as many as 14 in the second half. The ancillary pieces around Acuff ebbed and flowed, but the freshman was a constant and nearly handed the Tide a loss that would have buried them in the race for the regular-season SEC title. 

As the single-elimination portion of the college basketball season approaches, Alabama will enter most of its matchups with the best player on the floor: Labaron Philon Jr. Philon countered Acuff’s 49 with 35 points of his own. But Acuff made it clear that if these two teams meet again, Alabama’s star guard could be outmatched, especially if Acuff comes into the matchup at 100 percent.