NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — Darius Acuff Jr. scored 37 points to lead Arkansas to an 82-79 comeback victory over Oklahoma in a Southeastern Conference tournament game Friday night at Bridgestone Arena. The Razorbacks, who trailed 39-37 at halftime, outscored the Sooners 45-40 after intermission to secure the win before a crowd of 15,085. Acuff, a guard from Detroit, added five assists in 39 minutes. Nijel Pack led Oklahoma with 19 points, while Derrion Reid and Tae Davis each added 17. The Sooners fell to 19-14, while Arkansas improved to 24-8.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — In a Southeastern Conference tournament quarterfinal defined by razor-thin margins and a singular, spectacular performance, the Arkansas Razorbacks edged the Oklahoma Sooners 82-79 on Friday night at Bridgestone Arena. The victory, secured before a crowd of 15,085, was orchestrated almost entirely by Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr., whose career-high 37 points propelled the Razorbacks into the semifinals and avenged a regular-season loss to the Sooners. The game’s pivotal sequence, and its defining narrative, unfolded in the final 30 seconds. With Arkansas clinging to a 79-77 lead, Acuff drove the lane, only to have his layup emphatically rejected by Oklahoma’s Mohamed Wague. The Razorbacks retained possession, and out of a timeout, Acuff shook off the block, took a pass from D.J. Wagner, and calmly sank a mid-range jumper to push the lead to four with 27 seconds remaining. Oklahoma’s Xzayvier Brown answered with a driving layup to cut the deficit back to two, but Arkansas’ Meleek Thomas was fouled and made both free throws with 18 seconds left for an 81-79 edge. The Sooners’ final chance to tie came up short when Nijel Pack’s contested three-pointer from the wing missed as time expired. The contest was a tale of two halves and contrasting styles. Oklahoma, finishing its season at 19-14, controlled the interior for much of the night, outscoring Arkansas 46-34 in the paint and building a 39-37 halftime lead behind balanced scoring. Tae Davis, Derrion Reid and Mohamed Wague all finished with double figures, combining for 47 points. Arkansas, however, dictated the tempo it desired. The Razorbacks (24-8) capitalized on Oklahoma’s mistakes, turning 11 points off turnovers to the Sooners’ five, and owned the fast break, 14-6. That transition game fueled a second-half surge where they outscored Oklahoma 45-40. Yet, the overarching story was Acuff’s individual brilliance. The Detroit native played 39 minutes, shouldering the offensive load by hitting key shots at every juncture. He scored 16 of Arkansas’ first 19 points to keep his team afloat early, then delivered the critical baskets down the stretch. He added five assists, often drawing multiple defenders before finding open teammates. Oklahoma’ Pack led the Sooners with 19 points, while Reid added 17 and Davis and Wague each contributed 17 and 13, respectively. Their efforts inside kept Oklahoma within striking distance throughout, but they had no consistent answer for Acuff’s perimeter onslaught. Arkansas forward Trevon Brazile provided crucial support with 12 points, several key offensive rebounds, and two blocks. Billy Richmond added nine points and stout perimeter defense. The game lived up to its pregame billing as a close contest, though the combined score of 161 fell well under the projected over/under. Arkansas, favored by 6.5 points, covered the spread with the narrow victory. With the win, Arkansas advances to face Mississippi in a semifinal matchup on Saturday. The Razorbacks will rely again on the hot hand of Acuff, who has now scored 65 points in his last two postseason games, following a 28-point effort against Texas. For Oklahoma, the defeat concludes a season that saw them finish below .500 in conference play but competitive until the final buzzer in Nashville.

Preview: Seed Oklahoma Faces Seed Arkansas in NCAA Tournament Second Round NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — A red-hot Oklahoma team riding a five-game winning streak will look to avenge a regular-season loss when it faces Arkansas in a second-round NCAA Tournament men’s basketball game Friday at Bridgestone Arena. The sixth-seeded Sooners (19-13) enter March Madness as one of the nation’s hottest teams, having won eight of their last 10 games, including an 83-63 rout of Texas A&M on Thursday. The third-seeded Razorbacks (23-8), the SEC regular-season co-champions, last played on March 7, earning an 88-84 overtime win at Missouri. The teams met earlier this season in Norman, with Arkansas escaping with an 83-79 victory on Jan. 27. Oklahoma’s surge has been fueled by guard Nijel Pack. Over his last 10 games, Pack is averaging 18.2 points and has scored 20 or more points in five of the Sooners’ last six contests. He dropped 20 points in just 28 minutes in Thursday’s win. Forward Tae Davis (14 points) and guard Derrion Reid (15 points) provided crucial support against the Aggies. Arkansas counters with high-scoring guard Meleek Thomas, who is coming off a career-high 28-point performance in 45 minutes against Missouri. Forward Trevon Brazile, who had 19 points and 11 rebounds in that game, forms a potent inside-outside tandem. The Razorbacks boast a high-powered offense, averaging 91.2 points per game during their current three-game win streak. The matchup pits Oklahoma’s momentum against Arkansas’s pedigree and rest. The Sooners have shown remarkable resilience, with four of their recent wins coming on the road or at neutral sites. The Razorbacks, however, have been a fixture in the Top 25 all season and are battle-tested from the rugged SEC. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Arkansas is projected with a 64.8% probability to win. The winner will advance to the Sweet 16 next week. Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 6:10 p.m. CDT Friday. The game will be televised on CBS.