There are weeks in college basketball where players have big nights and make fans talk.
Then there are weeks when something bigger feels like it’s settling into place.
For Arkansas freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr., this season’s SEC Freshman of the Week honors are starting to feel like part of a rhythm.
Now he gets to try it on the road against Oklahoma in a game that will start on ESPN at 6 p.m. Fans will also be able to listen online here at HitThatLine.com and on the radio at ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
On Monday, Acuff was named SEC Freshman of the Week again — his record-tying sixth award in the last seven weeks.
That’s not just good. That’s a sign of something steady and electric in a Razorbacks lineup that’s still finding its groove.
“I’m just trying to help the team win,” Acuff said after another big week. “Whatever it takes, that’s how I try to play.”
Arkansas head coach John Calipari has said more than once that he wants a consistent mindset from his team.
When your freshman guard keeps winning weekly awards from the SEC, that consistency starts on the court.
The week that was
This latest honor came after a pair of strong outings. Acuff averaged 24 points and 5.5 assists in wins over No. 15 Vanderbilt and LSU.
Those numbers jump off the page, but the moments inside those games tell the real story.
Against Vanderbilt, Acuff finished with 17 points. He was patient early and relentless late, scoring with poise as Arkansas pulled away.
Then came LSU in front of the Bud Walton Arena crowd.
Down 59-56 with under 10 minutes left, Acuff didn’t panic. Instead, he took over.
He hit a clutch three to tie the game. Then he threaded a pass for a Karter Knox triple that put the Razorbacks in front. He even made plays on defense, swatting away two shots on one LSU possession before racing coast to coast for a layup.
By night’s end, Acuff had a career-high 31 points and six assists to go with his two blocked shots. He shot 10-of-11 from the floor in the second half, including 3-of-3 from deep, to lift the Hogs to the win.
“I just kept playing hard,” Acuff said of that stretch. “We needed baskets, we needed stops, and everybody just kept moving.”
Making history
It’s not just that Acuff keeps winning Freshman of the Week honors. It’s that he’s now tied with some big names in conference history.
Only five other players have earned six Freshman of the Week honors in an SEC season: James Robinson, Brandin Knight, Bradley Beal, Jabari Smith and Brandon Miller.
Acuff’s name now sits with theirs in that list.
Those aren’t small names. They’re guys who made an impact beyond their first year. And Acuff, just getting started, is already in that conversation.
Through it all, his approach has stayed the same: help the team, make winning plays, and let performances speak for themselves.
“I focus on being me — looking for my shot, finding open teammates, and doing what helps us stay ahead,” he said.
What it means for the Hogs
The Razorbacks aren’t just riding one freshman. But Acuff’s emergence gives this Arkansas team something steady when games start to feel chaotic.
Still, coach Calipari wants more than flashes. He’s talked about consistency. And when your freshman keeps earning weekly honors, that’s one way to build consistency across a season.
Fans can feel it in Fayetteville. There’s a confidence that comes from watching a young leader deliver in big moments.
And as the calendar turns deeper into conference play, that confidence might matter even more.
For now, Acuff’s making history. And he’s doing it with a calm that seems bigger than his years.
