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As Arkansas Razorback fans lick their wounds following the Hogs’ ouster from the Sweet 16 last Thursday night in San Jose, Calif., it’s not much consolation to be reminded that only one team exits the Big Dance on a high note.
Like 67 other teams that will end the tournament disappointed, Coach John Calipari’s Razorbacks were outplayed, outmuscled, and outmatched by the Arizona Wildcats, 109–88, in a contest that was never truly close.
The Razorbacks (28-9) played hard and gave effort, but the issues that plagued them from the very beginning of the season struck a fatal blow once again.
Arkansas’ defense was too loose and forgiving against the larger, deeper, and more physical Wildcats, who punished the Razorbacks for each of their shortcomings for 40 long minutes.
There’s no sense in tracing the ins and outs of the Razorbacks’ downfall Thursday. It’s familiar material.
However, before the basketballs are put away until offseason workouts begin this summer, it would be good for all Hog fans to remember the achievements accomplished by this Razorback squad this season.
2025-26 Season
On balance, it was a highly entertaining and solidly successful season that fans should remember fondly after the ache of Thursday night’s loss wears off.
While the Razorbacks reached their fifth Sweet 16 in six seasons, making it to the third round of the NCAA Tournament is never a given.
Any season in which Arkansas advances three games deep into the tournament is a success.
While one hopes Arkansas will never be a program that celebrates a second-place finish, tying for second in the SEC regular-season with Alabama, thanks to a 13-5 mark in league play, is significant, particularly for a squad that counted on two freshmen as starters, even freshmen as talented as Darius Acuff Jr. and Maleek Thomas.
Arkansas senior Trevon Brazile greets fans in San Jose, Calif. before the Razorbacks’ Sweet 16 game against Arizona on March 26, 2026. (Photo: Arkansas Athletics)
Though the Final Four and a national title remain the ultimate goal for the Hogs under Calipari, let’s not be too casual about winning the SEC Tournament like the Razorbacks did a couple of weekends ago.
When I was in my teens in the 1980s, the Hogs routinely won the old Southwest Conference Tournament. In March, Reunion Arena was renamed Barnhill South because of the way Razorbacks fans flooded the stands, and Razorback players dominated on the hardwood. It seemed like an annual rite of spring.
Since the Hogs joined the SEC for the 1991-92 basketball season, the Razorbacks have won the SEC Tournament just twice. First in 2000 and then again three weeks ago.
Certainly, as Razorback fans and followers, we want the program to be measured by success in the NCAA Tournament, but considering the last 30 or so years of Razorback basketball, winning the SEC Tournament two weekends ago was a significant accomplishment.
Acuff
However, when we look back on the 2025-26 season, we’re all going to remember Darius The Great’s assault on the Razorbacks’ single-season record book.
Breaking Todd Day’s single-season scoring record and Kareem Reid’s single-season assist record as a freshman puts Acuff in the immortal category of the program’s history, along with the likes of Sidney Moncrief and Corliss Williamson.
In my mind, they are the Razorbacks’ version of The Warriors Three, if you know the story of David from the books of Samuel in the Bible.
Acuff rewrote so many of the Razorbacks’ single-season offensive records this year that it’s hard to wrap our minds around what he would do with another year or two in the program.
Of course, that is not going to happen. Acuff’s on his way to the NBA. It’s not a matter of if he’ll be a lottery pick; it’s where in the top 10 picks he will go.
Acuff reset the Arkansas record for points in a season (845), scoring average (23.47) and assists in a season (232). He joins LSU’s Pete Maravich as the only players to lead the SEC in both scoring and assists in the same season. Acuff also led the SEC in assist/turnover ratio (2.97) and minutes played (35.12).
Acuff is also the only player in the NCAA to average 20 points (23.47) and six assists (6.44) this season.
Acuff also ranked second in the SEC in 3-point percentage (44.0%), seventh in field goal percentage (48.4%), ninth in 3-pointers made (2.53), and 15th in free-throw percentage (80.9%).
Acuff was simply a generational player for the Razorbacks in just one season.
Acuff won’t be in college long enough to enjoy the NCAA Tournament success that so many great Razorbacks of the past did, but the man packed a ton of memories into a season for Razorback fans young and old.
So what’s next for the Hogs?
It’s another restructuring job for Calipari. He’s used to it, even with the loss of a one-of-a-kind talent like Acuff.
Arkansas signed five-star swing man JaShawn Andrews (6-7, 228) of Little Rock and four-star swing man Abdou Toure (6-6, 185) of West Haven, Conn., back in November.
The Razorbacks also have a hard commitment from five-star shooting guard Jordan Smith (6-2, 195) from Fairfax, Va.
Nick Pringle’s eligibility has expired. There have been rumors floating around that big men Malique Ewin and Trevon Brazile are petitioning the NCAA for another season of eligibility, but how sound those rumors are and whether the NCAA would grant one or both requests are unknown.
Whether they want another year in college or are ready to venture into professional ball is also in question.
Either way, my assumption is that their eligibility has expired until the NCAA declares otherwise.
Even if both somehow return, one would think a significant inside presence would still be high on Cal’s transfer-portal grocery list?
The futures of Billy Richmond III and Thomas are up in the air, too. It would seem likely that both would test the NBA waters before making a final decision on whether to return.
Richmond had the best game of any Razorback in the blowout loss to Arizona in my estimation. It would be great to see him and Thomas return, but it could go either way for both of them. My gut says we may have seen the last of them as Razorbacks.
D.J. Wagner has another year of eligibility. One would guess he would return to man the point for the Razorbacks in his senior season. His talent and experience could be vital to another run at NCAA success next season. Plus, the freshmen Cal signed are off-guards and wings, not lead guards. The Hogs need him back if at all possible.
Karter Knox is still rehabbing from a knee injury. The ultra-talented wing has at least two years of eligibility remaining. He tested the NBA waters last year. It’s unknown if he will be healthy enough to do so again. My hope is that Knox returns for a fabulous junior year.
Should Knox and Wagner return, that’s the type of talent, experience, and leadership that could lead Arkansas past the Sweet 16 next year.
One would guess that Springdale native Isaiah Sealy would stay home and continue developing in Cal’s program as a sophomore rather than hitting the transfer portal. Cal spoke highly of him going into the Arizona game.
Calipari said at his press conference earlier this week that if a player enters the portal, he won’t be returning to his program.
With the draft potential of several current Hogs up in the air, it could be well into May before we know exactly who will suit up for the Razorbacks next year.
The NBA Draft Combine is May 10-17. The deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft is May 27. The NBA Draft will be June 25-26.
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