John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks extended their dream run this season with an 82-79 SEC Tournament quarterfinals win against the Oklahoma Sooners. They will now face the Ole Miss Rebels today, and if they win, they’ll secure their trip to the final.
In just his second season, Calipari has turned the Razorbacks into strong title contenders. Calipari’s team boasts one of the strongest rosters in the country, and Darius Acuff Jr. recently proved why they’re a threat to every opponent.
The star point guard recently joined Pistol Pete Maravich in an elite company that no one else has managed to get in for the last 56 years. The LSU legend, in the 1969-70 season, posted 44.5 points and 6.3 assists per game.
Maravich led the conference in points and assists in the same season. Acuff Jr. is now a part of that club, too, as he is leading the conference in points and assists with 22.2 points and 6.4 assists per game.
There’s no denying that a lot has changed over the last five decades. New rules have been implemented, three point line has been introduced, and the game has developed to be the best it has ever been. However, no one else has been able to accomplish what Acuff Jr. has done this season.
Continuing his stellar run this season, the Arkansas guard dropped 37 points in the game against the Oklahoma Sooners. He shot 11 of 21 from the field, 5 of 9 from the three-point line, and 10 of 12 from the charity stripe.
Acuff Jr. also added five rebounds, five assists, and three steals to his scorecard. When the Razorbacks would go against the Rebels in their semifinal matchup, Calipari would expect another great performance from his star player.
John Calipari Was All Praise for Oklahoma Coach
After defeating the Sooners in their quarterfinal matchup, Calipari heaped praise on Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser. “This may be your best job ever of coaching,” the Arkansas head coach told Moser.
Moser had a turbulent run this season, going on a nine-game losing streak at one point. During that run, fans started chanting “Fire Moser” inside the arena. Despite everything, he managed to turn things around in the final stretch of the season.
“He is one of the good guys in our profession,” Calipari said. “You all know his career, what he’s done. I say when you have a guy like him, then administration’s got to do their thing and put around him.”
Calipari said that Moser is a “championship coach” and that his team has played at an elite level throughout the season.
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