Darius Acuff Jr. embraced the spotlight Saturday night, powering fourth-seeded Arkansas past 12th-seeded High Point with a 94-88 win in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Acuff Jr. finished with 36 points and six assists, providing the offensive engine Arkansas needed to withstand a determined challenge. The Razorbacks faced a scare down the stretch but did enough to close out the victory and move on in the bracket.
Big performance in a tight tournament test
In a matchup that followed the familiar NCAA tournament script of a higher seed being pushed by a double-digit seed, Arkansas leaned on Acuff Jr.’s scoring and playmaking to keep control. High Point stayed within striking distance, forcing Arkansas to execute late before finally securing the six-point win.
The result sends Arkansas through the second round, with Acuff Jr.’s standout night serving as the difference in a game that remained competitive into the final moments.