PORTLAND, Ore. — Last season's run to the Sweet 16 was surprising and thrilling.
Arkansas basketball wants this year's March Madness journey to go one weekend further.
The No. 4 Razorbacks (26-8) open up their time at the NCAA Tournament against No. 13 Hawaii (24-8) on Thursday, March 19. The ambition is the Final Four, and there's one reason that looms larger than any other why the Hogs can make reach the grandest stage in the sport.
John Calipari's squad has a closer. He also happens to be one of the best players in the sport, and Arkansas lacked the late-game brilliance Darius Acuff Jr. provides during last year's postseason.
"(Acuff) has that otherworldly confidence that he will make the play," Calipari said during the SEC Tournament. "To be able to do that, you can't be afraid of not making the play. It makes no bearing. If you miss it, I'm making the next one."
Arkansas led by as many as 16 points in the second half of its Sweet 16 loss to Texas Tech in 2025. The Red Raiders came back with excellent shot making, but the Hogs didn't have enough creation with their own offense. The final play of regulation was a microcosm of the issues, with D.J. Wagner going 1-on-1 but settling for a difficult mid-range jumper.
Before Texas Tech, Arkansas led by 13 in the second half against St. John's and still had to hold off a furious rally to win the second-round matchup. Blowing big leads was a common theme throughout the end of Calipari's first season in Fayetteville.
It's unlikely a similar offensive scuffling happens down the stretch of NCAA Tournament games this season. Acuff showed his clutch gene during the SEC Tournament. He averaged a point a minute during the final five minutes of the Hogs' three victories. He ended up being named the Most Valuable Player of the SEC Tournament after scoring 30 with 11 dimes in the win over Vanderbilt to clinch the title.
"He's a confident guy," Nick Pringle said of Acuff. "Coach (Calipari) always preaches how he wants to put the ball in his hands because he makes the right play all the time. There aren't many guys that can finish with 30 points and 11 assists at the same time. That's different out of a player."
Acuff credits his clutch success to a simple mindset.
"I really just say trying to win, no matter what the time is," Acuff said. "Around that time of course is winning time. Just always making the right play, that's important to me. Whatever I need to do to get our team to win, whether it's me passing or me shooting or getting a stop, you know, I'm going to do it."
If the dominance in winning time continues over the next three weeks, all Arkansas needs to do is be within striking distance entering the final media timeout. Acuff will carry them home.
The Razorbacks hope he carries them to the Final Four.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@usatodayco.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Darius Acuff Jr.'s late-game brilliance gives Arkansas basketball March edge
