Courtesy of Mike Cawood
FAYETTEVILLE – Darius Acuff Jr. averaged 34.5 points, 5.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds at No. 25 Alabama and versus Missouri to earn SEC Player of the Week honors, the league announced today.
It marks the eighth time Acuff has earned weekly honors by the SEC, becoming the first player in league history to be an eight-time winner. He has been named SEC Freshman of the Week seven times and has earned an SEC weekly honor 8 of the last 11 times the league has handed out the awards. Acuff joins Courtney Fortson (12/15/08) and Isaiah Joe (12/03/18) as the only Razorback freshmen to win overall SEC Player of the Week.
With his impressive week, Acuff took over as the SEC’s overall scoring leader (22.19 avg.) and he continues to lead the SEC overall in assists (6.19 avg.). In fact, Acuff is the only player in the NCAA to average at least 20 points and 6.0 assists this season. Also, Acuff will be looking to join LSU’s Pete Maravich as the only player to lead the SEC in scoring and assists for an entire season. Maravich did so in 1969-70 by averaging an NCAA-best 44.55 points and 6.19 assists.
Acuff additionally leads the SEC in assist-turnover ratio (3.21) and ranks fourth in field goal percentage (50.5%), seventh in 3-pointers made (2.48 avg.) and 15th in free throw percentage (80%). (NOTE, he technically does not meet the NCAA minimum of making 2.5 3’s per game, but if he did, Acuff would rank second in the SEC in 3-point percentage at 44.08% behind Oklahoma’s Nigel Pack’s 44.10%.)
Acuff also leads the league in scoring (25.36 avg.) and assists (6.21 avg.) in SEC-only games. Complete SEC-only stats date back to 1990-91 and Acuff will be the only player to lead the league in both for SEC games only since then. Also, in SEC games only, Acuff also leads the league in 3-point percentage (43.9%) while ranking second in assist-turnover ratio (3.22), third in field goal percentage (51.2%), sixth in 3-pointers made (2.57 avg.) and eighth in free throw percentage (84.5%).
At #25 Alabama:
– Had a game for the ages, scoring 49 points in the 117-115 double-overtime loss
– Hit a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left in regulation to force OT
– Scored 22 points in the 1st half, 19 in the second half and had eight of the team’s 20 points with three assists in the two overtimes
– Played all 50 minutes and committed just one turnover
– Was 16-of-27 FG • 6-of-10 3PT • 11-of-12 FT and his 49 points:
^ the most points in NCAA history by a freshman in a game versus a top-25 opponent
^ the most points by a Razorback freshman
^ the most points by any Hog in an SEC game
^ The second-most points by a Razorback all-time (Rotnei Clarke had 51 vs Alcorn State)
^ the most points by a Calipari-coached player
^ the second-most points by a player in NCAA Division I this season (Dennis Parker Jr of Radford had 53 vs Coppin St 12/14)
^ joined Kobe Bryant as the only players in NCAA Division I and the NBA the last 30 seasons to have 45+ points, 5+ rebounds 5+ assists, 1 or fewer turnovers while playing the entire game. Darius: 50 minutes • 49 pts • 5 reb • 5 assists •1 TO and Kobe: 48 minutes • 47 pts • 8 reb • 5 assists • 1 TO
Versus Missouri:
– Scored 20 points with five assists and zero turnovers
– His eighth-straight 20-point game, tying the best streak by a Razorback since Corliss Williamson in 1993-94 and three behind the school-leader, Todd Day’s in 1990-91. He has scored at least 15 points in 21-straight, the second-best streak in school history behind Martin Terry’s 26 (1972-73). (HogStats)
– Drew a career-high nine fouls and attempted a career-high 13 free throws
– For the second-straight game, and third time this season, made a career-high 11 free throws.
At Alabama, Acuff additionally became the Arkansas freshman leader for points in a season. After Mizzou, Acuff has 599 points (previous record was Scotty Thurman with 540 in 1992-93). With his next point, he will be the only Razorback to have at least 600 points and 150 assists in the same season (HogStats).
Acuff’s SEC Weekly Honors:
• Fr. – Dec. 8 – Averaged 17.5 points, nine assists and five rebounds in wins over #6 Louisville and Fresno State.
• Fr. – Dec. 15 – Scored 20 points with eight assists, four rebounds and a block in the 93-86 win over #16 Texas Tech.
• Fr. – Dec. 22 – Averaged 25 points, 8.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals versus Queens and #8 Houston.
• Fr. – Jan. 5 – Averaged 23 points and 5.0 assists in wins over James Madison and #19 Tennessee.
• Fr. – Jan. 12 – Averaged 22.5 points and 5.0 assists in his first two SEC road games, at Ole Miss and at Auburn.
• Fr. – Jan. 26 – Averaged 24 points and 5.5 assists in leading Arkansas to wins over #15 Vanderbilt and LSU.
• Fr. – Feb. 16 – Averaged 29.5 points and 6.0 assists in wins at LSU and versus Auburn.
• Player – Feb. 23 – Averaged 34.5 points, 5.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds at #25 Alabama and versus Missouri.
