Razorbacks’ messy start, strong finish show where Calipari must guide Hogs

Arkansas needed a win. Not simply for its record, but to get a sense of where John Calipari’s Razorbacks are actually heading.

What the Hogs delivered Saturday night in North Little Rock wasn’t clean, wasn’t sharp and certainly wasn’t a finished product.

But inside an 82–58 win over Fresno State, you could see small signs of who they might become under Calipari — and also the habits that still hold them back.

The first half told one story: a team still unsure of itself. The Razorbacks looked tight on offense, missing open looks, forcing uncertain drives and settling for the kind of shots that reveal a group pressing instead of playing freely.

For stretches, Arkansas simply looked stuck, and Fresno State wasn’t sharp enough to punish it.

But in the middle of that sluggish start, you could see Calipari’s imprint on the Razorbacks’ defense. Even when the shots didn’t fall, Arkansas guarded hard enough to keep a shaky half from becoming a dangerous one.

The 34–24 halftime lead looked better on the scoreboard than it did on the floor, but it gave the Hogs something to build on.

And to Calipari’s credit, they did.

What unfolded next was the version of Arkansas he’s been waiting to see — not perfect, but assertive, confident and willing to take ownership of the game.

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Karter Knox laying in a shot against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Ark. | Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

Knox’s spark shows identity Calipari wants

The moment the second half started, everything changed.

Karter Knox — who has ridden ups and downs like many freshmen — stepped into a three and buried it.

Then came another. Two shots, two clean makes, and suddenly the Razorbacks reminded everyone they had the ability to seize a game.

That sequence is what Calipari envisions for his program: players taking initiative, not waiting for someone else to lift them.

Knox’s 11 points, four rebounds and three assists gave Arkansas balance it had lacked early, but his real impact was emotional. He played with purpose, and the Hogs fed off it.

The 16–2 run that followed wasn’t a coincidence. It was Arkansas playing with clarity for the first time all night.

It was also the clearest window into what Calipari wants from this team — confident shooters, decisive attacks, and momentum that grows possession by possession instead of showing up in quick bursts.

The Razorbacks weren’t that team in the first half. Knox helped them become that team in the second.

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff making a pass against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Ark. | Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

Acuff’s steadying presence hints at Calipari’s offensive future

If Knox lit the fire, Darius Acuff Jr. made sure it didn’t burn out.

Acuff, who has flashed star potential in spurts, controlled the second half with 11 of his 18 points while adding eight assists. Those numbers aren’t only about production — they’re about personality.

Acuff played like the point guard Calipari prefers: poised, selective, unbothered by pace.

He hit threes when Arkansas needed them. He directed traffic when Fresno State tried to disrupt rhythm.

He kept the Razorbacks from drifting back into the hesitancy that marked the first half.

DJ Wagner’s return to form helped, too. His 12 points gave Arkansas the three-guard presence Calipari keeps pushing this team toward.

For the first time since the Jackson State game, both Knox and Wagner landed in double figures together — a sign the pieces Calipari envisioned may finally be trending in the same direction.

Calipari has coached plenty of teams that took time to grow into themselves.

This performance felt like the Razorbacks stepping — however clumsily — toward that next stage.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari on the sidelines against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Ark. | Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

Discipline questions linger, and Calipari won’t ignore them

But for all the progress, Calipari won’t love everything he saw.

Billy Richmond III’s highlight dunk with ten minutes left electrified the crowd, but his ejection less than two minutes later for a flagrant-2 elbow brought back an old concern.

This wasn’t the first time Arkansas has walked the line between playing hard and playing careless.

Earlier this season, things nearly boiled over in the closing seconds against Winthrop. That incident felt like a warning. This one felt like something Calipari will address directly.

His teams often play with an edge, but he also demands control — and Richmond’s moment will not fit that standard.

The Razorbacks managed the situation well and extended their lead. But this is the kind of detail that determines games against tougher opponents. Calipari knows it.

And he knows a team learning to win consistently must avoid giving opponents free chances.

Clearer view of where Calipari’s Razorbacks are headed

In the end, the win mattered less than what Arkansas showed inside it.

This team is still inconsistent. Still learning. Still making the kind of mistakes that can derail momentum.

But the Razorbacks also showed progress — and for a program shifting under Calipari, progress is the point.

Here are the highlights of that:

• Knox rediscovered confidence.
• Acuff took command.
• Wagner played freer than he has in weeks.
• The defense held up long enough for the offense to catch up.
• And even with Richmond’s ejection, Arkansas didn’t break.

These are foundation pieces. Not finished ones, but necessary ones.

Calipari didn’t take over an easy job, and he won’t build this program overnight.

But Saturday night showed the Razorbacks moving closer to the version he believes they can become — one that trusts itself, responds with maturity and finds ways to turn a shaky start into a strong finish.

If this is the direction Arkansas is heading, then the Hogs are at least walking the right way.

Key takeaways

• Arkansas’ 16–2 second-half run reflected the identity John Calipari wants the program to build.

• Darius Acuff Jr.’s 18 points and eight assists showed the leadership Calipari needs from his guards.

• Billy Richmond III’s ejection highlighted a discipline issue Arkansas must correct in Calipari’s first year.