History-making Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. is back.
Oklahoma may just be getting started.
Acuff is expected to return when the No. 17 and third-seeded Razorbacks (23-8) meet 11th-seeded Oklahoma in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament Thursday in Nashville, Tenn.
The Sooners (19-14) blew out Texas A&M 83-63 in the second round Tuesday, their sixth straight victory and eighth in 10 games following a nine-game losing streak.
“I’ve heard it for years, the committee (NCAA Tournament selection committee) said, ‘Who’s playing the best basketball?” Oklahoma coach Porter Moser said on the SEC Network.
“We know Arkansas has been waiting, and they are a terrific team. ‘Cal’ (coach John Calipari) has them playing at a high level. These guys are really, really hungry and chasing right now. We’re not done yet.”
Oklahoma guard Nijel Pack had 20 points before leaving the A&M game after head-to-head contact on a Marcus Hill drive, a play that was ruled a Flagrant 1 foul on Hill. Like Acuff, Pack is expected to play.
“Every team needs a veteran guy, and Nijel is that for us,” said Derrion Reid, who collected 15 points and 10 rebounds.
“Our message is, one stretch doesn’t define us. We all stuck with it. It was all about pushing the rock up off us and we did that.”
Acuff, the SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in a vote of league coaches, was held out of the Razorbacks’ 88-84 overtime victory over Missouri last Saturday because of a nagging left ankle injury.
He sustained the injury in a scramble for a loose ball in an 88-75 victory against Auburn on Feb. 14 that has required him to wear a walking boot at times.
“The whole plan was to give him some time, let him be closer to 100%, and let’s go,” Calipari said.
Acuff leads the SEC in scoring (22.2 points) and assists (6.4) and would join Hall of Famer Pete Maravich as the only players in league history to hit those plateaus, according to available records.
Acuff is the only Division I player averaging at least 20 and six, respectively, and he leads the league with a 3.22:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
“There are not many guys who can really play the position of point guard and yet score,” Calipari said. “And he can do both. If we’re going to do something in the postseason, he’s got to defend better. Play with a little more energy.”
In Acuff’s absence, freshman Meleek Thomas erupted for a season-high 30 points and made five 3-pointers against Missouri. He is averaging 15.4 points per game and also was a member of the SEC All-Freshman team.
Most projections have Arkansas as a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
“Let’s understand that we are playing for something even bigger than just this (SEC) tournament,” Calipari said. “You are playing to hold your seed, improve your seed. And that means you keep winning, then you keep winning.”
Acuff had 21 points and 10 assists and Thomas had 16 points in the Razorbacks’ 83-79 victory over Oklahoma in Norman on Jan. 27. The Razorbacks shot 55.6 from the field.
Pack had 22 points for the Sooners, who lost their seventh straight during a streak that reached nine before they recovered.
