Arkansas Dominates Hawai'i in NCAA Tournament Opener Arkansas delivered a commanding performance in its NCAA Tournament debut, overwhelming Hawai’i with an explosive start and securing a 97-78 victory in the opening round. The Razorbacks surged ahead with an 11-0 run early in the game, setting the tone for a dominant display that saw them maintain a double-digit lead throughout the contest. The win marks Arkansas’ 12th consecutive victory of the season and extends their perfect record under Coach Calipari to 17-0 when the team records 20 or more assists, a feat achieved with 26 in this game. Darius Acuff Jr. led the charge with 24 points and seven rebounds, while freshman Meleek Thomas contributed 21 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. The duo’s combined efforts made them the first freshman pair in NCAA Tournament history to reach at least 20 points and five assists in a single game. Acuff also set a new school record for single-season assists by a freshman, surpassing Kareem Reid’s previous mark with 223. His 781 points this season placed him just five points behind Todd Day’s all-time leading total of 786. Trevon Brazile joined the milestone club by reaching 1,000 career points, now sitting at 1,013 for Arkansas. With one year remaining at Missouri, Brazile’s career total stands at 1,164. The Razorbacks’ offensive firepower was evident from the outset, as they built an 11-point lead in the first four minutes before Hawai’i managed its first basket. The freshman duo of Acuff and Thomas accounted for nine of Arkansas’ 11 points in the opening run, and the lead expanded to 19 points before the Warriors began to chip away. Despite Hawai’i’s efforts to close the gap, Arkansas maintained control, ending the first half on an 8-0 run highlighted by dunks from Billy Richmond III, Malique Ewin, and Brazile.#arkansas #darius_acuff_jr #hawaii #calipari #meleek_thomas
