FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas opened its season with a 109-77 win over Southern on Monday night, giving John Calipari a convincing victory to begin his second year with the Razorbacks.
The No. 14 Razorbacks were without sophomore forward Karter Knox, sidelined by a toe sprain, but didn’t struggle to score.
Arkansas shot 57 percent from the field, led by Trevon Brazile’s double-double and strong showings from freshmen Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas.
The Razorbacks recorded 23 assists against only nine turnovers, moving the ball with pace while forcing 15 turnovers on defense. Calipari said he liked the unselfish play but noted room for improvement defensively.
“It was fun to see so many guys contribute,” Calipari said. “We shared the ball, and that’s what I want to see. But we have to stay disciplined on defense.”
Freshmen make instant impact
Acuff, a 6-foot-2 guard from Detroit, became the first Arkansas freshman to score 20 points in a half in his debut. He had 20 before halftime and finished with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-5 from three-point range.
Thomas added 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including four threes, and grabbed six rebounds with seven assists. He also recorded three steals in 29 minutes.
“He is super special,” Thomas said of Acuff. “He’s super talented on offense and really getting good on defense. I’m proud of him.”
Thomas said his focus was on making an impact across the stat sheet. “I really pride myself on stat-stuffing,” he said. “If I can master defense and the other things, the sky’s the limit.”
Brazile anchors veteran core
Brazile led Arkansas with 25 points and 11 rebounds, hitting 8 of 14 shots and 8 of 10 from the free-throw line. His performance included a fast-break dunk that electrified the Bud Walton Arena crowd.
“The whole summer, the way we were scrimmaging, that’s just the way I’ve been playing,” Brazile said. “I know for us to be successful, I’ve got to keep playing that way. I’m just doing my job.”
The veteran forward was one of six Razorbacks to score in double figures. Arkansas finished with 62 points in the paint and 19 on fast breaks while holding Southern to just 39 percent shooting.
Southern guard Jordan Johnson led the Jaguars with 19 points and five assists.
Early run sets the tone
Southern took a 2-0 lead before Arkansas responded with a 12-1 run behind DJ Wagner’s layup and three-pointer. The Razorbacks led 19-6 with 14 minutes left in the first half, forcing Southern into early foul trouble.
The Jaguars trimmed the margin to 21-12 after a four-minute scoring drought from Arkansas that included several turnovers. Acuff and Thomas then sparked a 10-2 run, and Arkansas never looked back.
The Razorbacks led 52-37 at halftime. Calipari’s team opened the second half with a 13-2 run capped by consecutive threes from Thomas and a dunk from Brazile. The lead grew to 37 midway through the half, and Arkansas’s reserves closed out the final minutes.
Calipari sees positives and lessons
Calipari said he liked the team’s passing and balance but noted moments where the Razorbacks’ defense slipped when Southern applied pressure.
“There’s a lot of good that came from this game,” Calipari said. “But there’s a lot of stuff we’ve got to teach. You can’t have stretches where you lose focus.”
Arkansas finished 12 of 27 from three-point range and 19 of 23 from the line. The Razorbacks also outrebounded the Jaguars 42-30 and scored 21 points off turnovers.
“The effort was there,” Calipari said. “We moved the ball, didn’t settle for bad shots, and our guys competed. Now we’ve got to keep building.”
Next up
Arkansas (1-0) will travel to East Lansing to face No. 22 Michigan State on Friday. The matchup will be televised on Fox at 6 p.m. Central.
Southern (0-1) will play at Dayton on Thursday.
Key takeaways:
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Arkansas freshmen Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas combined for 43 points in their college debuts.
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Trevon Brazile’s 25-point, 11-rebound double-double anchored the Razorbacks’ balanced attack.
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John Calipari praised his team’s ball movement but emphasized the need for better defensive consistency.
