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5d ago

Darius Acuff Jr. Fuels Arkansas’ SEC Title, Propelling Him Into Top-Five Draft Conversation

A dominant title-game showing capped an efficient season, pushing the freshman guard into top-five draft talk before the NCAA Tournament.

Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) drives around Vanderbilt guard Chandler Bing (7) during the first half of the SEC tournament championship game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, March 15, 2026.
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Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) celebrates a three-pointer during the first half of the SEC tournament championship game against Vanderbilt at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, March 15, 2026.

Overview

  • Arkansas beat Vanderbilt 86-75 for its first SEC Tournament crown since 2000, with Acuff posting 30 points and 11 assists on 9-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three.
  • The freshman leads the SEC in scoring and is averaging 22.7 points and 6.4 assists with 48.7% shooting from the field, 43.7% from three and 80.1% at the line over 32 games.
  • Following the title game, multiple outlets now project Acuff as a lottery pick, with some evaluators placing him in the top-five discussion for the 2026 NBA Draft.
  • Per a stat shared by ESPN alum Jared Berson and cited by media, Acuff is the only Division I player in the last 15 seasons to record 30 points and 10 assists in a conference tournament final and averaged 30 points and 7 assists for the week.
  • Scouting pieces praise his elite shotmaking and playmaking while noting defense as the primary question mark as Arkansas enters the NCAA Tournament with an automatic bid.