The 15th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks demonstrated remarkable resilience on Tuesday night, mounting an impressive comeback victory to defeat the Oklahoma Sooners 83-79 on the road. This victory marked the third consecutive win for the Razorbacks, improving their record to 16-5 overall and 6-2 in SEC play, while extending Oklahoma's losing streak to seven games.
The Sooners, struggling at the bottom of the conference standings, came out firing and built a substantial lead early. Oklahoma's aggressive play caught Arkansas off guard, as they surged ahead by as many as 13 points in the first half. Coach John Calipari was forced to call a timeout with 7:24 remaining in the half, his team trailing 38-25 against a squad that had only managed one conference win prior to this matchup.
"We're playing a team that's 1-6 and they come out and play that way, and they have you down 13," Calipari reflected after the game. "I'm having to call timeouts in the first half just to keep the game close."
The Razorbacks responded to their coach's challenge with a determined 7-0 run, cutting the deficit to 38-32. Freshmen Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff spearheaded this rally, showcasing the youthful energy that has become a hallmark of this Arkansas squad. However, Oklahoma's Nijel Pack answered with back-to-back three-pointers, pushing the Sooners' advantage back to 44-32 with 4:25 left before halftime.
Undeterred, Arkansas mounted another impressive 12-2 run to close the half. Nick Pringle's layup with 31 seconds remaining trimmed Oklahoma's lead to just two points at 46-44. A jumper by Xzayvier Brown at the buzzer gave the Sooners a 48-44 advantage heading into the locker room, but the momentum had clearly shifted.
"We didn't get off to a slow start," Acuff explained in his postgame interview. "It was kind of back and forth, but at least we stayed in the game. We were playing hard and not just giving up easy baskets like we usually do. I felt like that was the key factor, for sure. We didn't start off so slow; we started off together."
The second half continued the back-and-forth battle. Acuff's perfectly timed lob pass to Trevon Brazile gave Arkansas its first lead of the game at 61-58, electrifying the Razorback faithful who had made the trip. Oklahoma quickly responded, with Jadon Jones drilling a corner three-pointer to tie the game at 61-61 approaching the media timeout.
The contest remained tight down the stretch. Pack, who finished with a game-high 22 points, buried his fifth three-pointer of the night to give Oklahoma a 68-65 lead with just under seven minutes to play, prompting another Calipari timeout. For a time, it appeared that Arkansas' struggles from beyond the arc and their inability to contain Oklahoma's perimeter shooting might prove to be their undoing.
However, the Razorbacks' defense tightened when it mattered most. The game's final minutes belonged to freshman sensation Darius Acuff, who delivered a performance befitting a seasoned veteran. With 1:01 remaining and the score tied, Acuff attacked the rim and drew contact, earning two crucial free throws. Though he split the pair, his aggressiveness set the tone for the closing sequence.
After Pack's deep three-pointer from the top of the key gave Oklahoma a 79-77 lead with 1:27 to play, the pressure mounted on the young Razorbacks. Acuff remained unfazed. With 21.2 seconds left, he drove to the basket and converted a contested layup while drawing a foul, completing the three-point play that gave Arkansas an 81-79 lead.
The freshman's composure at the free throw line was particularly noteworthy, especially considering his recent struggles. Against LSU just three days earlier, Acuff had made only one of four attempts in the final minute. On this night, he finished 6-for-7 from the charity stripe, a dramatic improvement that did not go unnoticed by his coach.
"Who made the free throws?" Calipari asked rhetorically during the postgame radio show. "Maybe you put it in his hands…and you let him do the finish."
Acuff's final stat line was impressive: a team-high 21 points, 9 assists, 3 rebounds, and zero turnovers in 36 minutes of action. His ability to control the game without committing a single turnover spoke volumes about his poise and decision-making under pressure.
The defensive stand that sealed the victory came courtesy of forward Trevon Brazile, who elevated to block Oklahoma guard Xzayvier Brown near the rim with just 15 seconds remaining. Meleek Thomas secured the rebound and calmly sank both free throws to extend Arkansas' lead to 83-79, effectively putting the game out of reach.
Pack's potential game-tying three-pointer in the closing seconds missed its mark, and the Razorbacks escaped with a hard-fought road victory against a desperate opponent.
The win continued Arkansas' recent trend of surviving close calls against lower-tier SEC competition. Just three days prior, they had narrowly defeated LSU, and this game followed a similar script: fall behind early, mount a comeback, and rely on clutch plays from young stars to secure the win.
For Oklahoma, the loss was their seventh consecutive defeat, dropping them to 1-7 in conference play and 11-10 overall. Despite the strong effort and Pack's scoring outburst, the Sooners continue to search for answers in a challenging season.
The Razorbacks' ability to win these tight games, particularly on the road, speaks to their growing maturity. While the comebacks may not be sustainable against the SEC's elite teams, they demonstrate a resilience that could serve them well as the season progresses and tournament play approaches.
As Arkansas continues to navigate the rigorous SEC schedule, the development of freshmen like Acuff and Thomas provides reason for optimism. Their ability to perform in high-pressure situations suggests the Razorbacks have the pieces necessary for a deep postseason run, even if the path there includes more nail-biters than their fans might prefer.
The victory over Oklahoma serves as another learning experience for a young team still finding its identity. With each close game, the Razorbacks gain valuable experience that could prove invaluable when the stakes are highest. For now, they'll celebrate another road win and prepare for the next challenge, knowing they have the talent and tenacity to overcome adversity.