Darius Acuff drops 49, nearly forces 2OT in Arkansas' Feb. 18 road thriller at Alabama
Darius Acuff delivered a staggering 49-point performance and came within a play of sending the Feb. 18 matchup into a second overtime, carrying Arkansas in a tense road game against a ranked Alabama squad.
Darius Acuff fuels near-comeback in Feb. 18 showdown
In the marquee SEC meeting held on Feb. 18, Arkansas leaned heavily on Darius Acuff's scoring outburst as the Razorbacks pressed a ranked opponent deep into the evening. The contest, slated to tipoff at 7: 00 pm ET in Tuscaloosa at Coleman Coliseum (13, 374), turned into an offensive showcase highlighted by Acuff's 49 points and a closing sequence that left the game poised for double overtime before a decisive play ended Arkansas' bid.
Pre-game listings showed Arkansas and its opponent ranked among the nation’s top teams, with the Razorbacks listed as #20/17 (19-6, 9-3 SEC) and their opponent shown as 25/RV (18-7, 8-4 SEC). Both teams came into the meeting among the NCAA leaders in offensive output and rim protection; the two squads ranked 11th and 3rd nationally in scoring and 15th and 9th in blocked shots, respectively, setting the stage for a high-stakes, high-intensity matchup.
What the performance means for Arkansas' stretch run
Darius Acuff's performance provided a late-season jolt for Arkansas as the team returns home for a pair of important conference games. The Razorbacks are scheduled to host Missouri on Feb. 21 at 4: 00 pm ET, followed by a home contest against Texas A& M on Feb. 25 at 9: 00 pm ET. Acuff's near-singlehanded effort on Feb. 18 underscored the Razorbacks' ability to compete with ranked opposition on the road and offered a clear momentum-builder ahead of those upcoming dates.
While the game in Tuscaloosa ultimately avoided a second overtime, the combination of Acuff's scoring and the overall balance between the two teams reflected the matchup's pregame billing as a key SEC clash. The late-game drama and the razor-thin margin that prevented a 2OT period have instantly become focal points for Arkansas' final stretch of the regular season as the Razorbacks look to consolidate position in conference standings.
Looking ahead: lineup focus and schedule impact
The Feb. 18 contest reinforced why this season featured several ranked meetings for Arkansas and why each remaining game carries heightened importance. With the Razorbacks set to return home for two consecutive conference tests, the team will lean on performances like the one delivered by Darius Acuff while refining end-of-game execution and defensive stands.
The Feb. 18 outing will be measured not only by the headline-grabbing scoring total but by how Arkansas responds in the immediate next games on the schedule. The narrow miss on forcing a second overtime serves as both a reminder of margins in league play and a motivator as the Razorbacks head back to their arena for those upcoming matchups.
For now, the takeaways are clear: Darius Acuff's 49-point explosion stole the spotlight on Feb. 18, a near-epic comeback effort that showcased individual scoring and left Arkansas with tangible momentum as the regular season approaches its conclusion.
