Darius Acuff Jr. accomplished a feat that the Division I basketball world hasn't seen in seven years following the No. 17 Arkansas Razorbacks' matchup against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Wednesday night.
In 30 minutes of action, Acuff finished with a stat line of 18 points, 13 assists, four rebounds, and one block. He shot 7-of-13 from the field, including 1-of-4 from beyond the arc, and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line.
Acuff helped the Razorbacks secure a dominant 108-74 victory over the Gamecocks. Not only that, but he also achieved an incredible milestone that no Division I freshman hasn't pulled off since 2019, per reporter Jared Berson.
“He’s the first Division I freshman with 13+ assists and 0 turnovers in a game in 7 years and the first Division I player of any class level to do it in 2 years,” Berson wrote.
How Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas played against South Carolina
It was an impressive performance for Darius Acuff Jr. to have. Being remarkable with his playmaking without committing turnovers paved the way for Arkansas to rout South Carolina in the contest.
Ball movement, stocks (steals and blocks) and turnovers made the difference in this matchup. The Razorbacks prevailed in all three categories by creating 27 assists, recording 20 stocks and limiting their turnovers to just four. It was the opposite for the Gamecocks as they dished out 13 assists, made just five stocks and turned the ball over 16 times.
Six players scored in double-digits for Arkansas in the win, including Acuff. Maleek Thomas led the team with 21 points, four rebounds, four steals, two assists, and a block off the bench. He shot 8-of-9 overall, including a perfect 5-of-5 from downtown. Malique Ewin came next with 18 points and four rebounds, Nick Pringle had 15 points and seven rebounds, Trevon Brazile put up 13 points and five rebounds, while DJ Wagner provided 12 points.
Arkansas improved to a 13-4 overall record, including 3-1 in SEC Play so far. They control the top spot of the league standings, sharing a tie with the Florida Gators, Missouri Tigers, Texas A&M Aggies, and Vanderbilt Commodores for first place.
The No. 17 Razorbacks will look forward to their next matchup, being on the road. It will be a ranked encounter as they face the No. 21 Georgia Bulldogs on Jan. 17 at 4 p.m. ET.
