Razorbacks beat Oklahoma behind Acuff to reach SEC semifinals

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Arkansas Razorbacks are moving on in the SEC Tournament after a strong performance from their freshman star.

Behind a huge scoring effort from Darius Acuff Jr., the Razorbacks defeated Oklahoma 82-79 in the SEC quarterfinals Friday night at Bridgestone Arena.

The victory sends the third-seeded Arkansas team into the semifinals.

Acuff finished with 37 points, backing up his SEC Player of the Year honors with one of the top scoring nights in program SEC Tournament history.

The Razorbacks will now face Ole Miss in the semifinals Saturday afternoon in Nashville.

Arkansas improved its postseason record in SEC quarterfinals while surviving a tight contest that stayed competitive until the final seconds.

The Hogs had to grind through a back-and-forth second half before finally creating just enough separation late to secure the win.

Acuff delivers star performance

From the start, Acuff showed he was ready for the moment.

He scored the first points of the game on a jumper and continued to attack throughout the night. The freshman guard poured in 21 points in the first half alone while shooting efficiently from the field and from three-point range.

Even with that scoring surge, the Razorbacks went into halftime trailing 39-37 after Oklahoma kept the game close.

The Sooners leaned on guard Nijel Pack, who scored 16 of his team’s points in the first half. Meanwhile, Arkansas struggled to find offense outside of Acuff during that stretch.

Still, the Hogs stayed within reach thanks to forced turnovers and several defensive stops.

That set the stage for a dramatic final 20 minutes.

Arkansas rallies in the second half

The second half turned into a series of runs by both teams.

Arkansas eventually found its rhythm on the glass and began creating more scoring opportunities. Trevon Brazile stepped up with a strong effort around the rim and on the boards, finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season.

With 9:38 left in the game, the Razorbacks trailed by four points. But Arkansas responded quickly, tying the game and entering a stretch that featured three ties in just a few minutes.

The last tie came at 67-67 with 5:38 remaining.

From there, the Hogs made their decisive move.

Arkansas went on a 9-2 run that pushed the lead to 76-69 with just over two minutes left, giving the Razorbacks their largest cushion of the night.

Clutch moments seal the win

Oklahoma refused to fade quietly.

The Sooners trimmed the deficit to two points with less than a minute remaining and still had a chance to tie late in the game.

But Arkansas answered with key plays in the closing moments.

After Oklahoma blocked a shot with 29 seconds left, the Razorbacks retained possession. With the shot clock running down, Acuff received the inbounds pass and hit a tough baseline jumper to give Arkansas breathing room.

Meleek Thomas then knocked down two free throws with 18 seconds left to extend the lead.

Oklahoma managed one more basket and had a final chance from three-point range, but the shot missed as time expired, allowing the Razorbacks to escape with the win.

Acuff added five rebounds and five assists to go with his 37 points. He also went 10-of-12 at the free-throw line.

For Oklahoma, Nijel Pack led the Sooners with 19 points, while Tae Davis and Derrion Reid each added 17.

Razorbacks move on in Nashville

With the victory, Arkansas advances to the SEC Tournament semifinals where it will face Ole Miss.

The Rebels reached the semifinal round after winning three straight games in the tournament, including an upset victory over Alabama in the quarterfinals.

Arkansas and Ole Miss are scheduled to tip off Saturday at approximately 2:30 p.m. Central on ESPN.

For the Razorbacks, the formula was clear Friday night — lean on their SEC Player of the Year and make plays when it mattered most.

Acuff delivered exactly that.