#21 Arkansas Gets Payback Win Over Auburn

February 14, 2026

FAYETTEVILLE – Billy Richmond III scored a career-high 25 points and Darius Acuff Jr. matched his career high with 31 points, adding seven assists with one turnover, to lead #21 Arkansas to an 88-75 victory over Auburn Saturday night at Bud Walton Arena.

The win avenged a 95-73 loss at Auburn last month and puts the Razorbacks at 19-6 overall, 9-3 in the SEC.

Arkansas, up six at halftime, started the second half on a 15-2 run thanks to Acuff making three straight 3-pointers and dishing out two assists. Overall, Acuff scored 20 points in the second half and had five assists in the second half.

Richmond was 12-of-15 from the field as he scored 25 points, 10 points better than his previous best of 15. He had three steals and electrified the crowd with five dunks, tying the most by a Razorback this season.

Trevon Brazile continued his strong play with 11 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots. Also, freshman Meleek Thomas led the Hogs with a career-high 10 rebounds.

A key stat in the win for the Razorbacks was that the Hogs scored 52 points in the paint. With that, Arkansas shot 67.5% (27-of-40) from 2-point range. Overall, Arkansas, which leads the league in field goal percentage, increased its average two tenths from 50.2% to 50.4% by shooting 57.4% from the field for the game.

Also, Arkansas had 19 assists with just five turnovers. In the second half, Arkansas had 10 assists with zero turnovers while adding eight blocked shots.

Tahaad Pettiford led Auburn with 29 points (11-of-18 FG, 4-of-7 3PT) and seven assists. KeShawn Murphy added a double with 22 points and 12 rebounds (six offensive). However, the Razorbacks limited Murphy to just four second-half points.

The Razorbacks return to the road to face Alabama on Wednesday (Feb. 18). Tipoff is set for 6 pm (CT) and the game will be televised on ESPN.

FIRST HALF: ARK: 38 – AUB: 30

Arkansas used a 10-0 run (making 5-of-5 field goals) to take a 16-9 lead and held the advantage the rest of the half.
After a 2-of-6 start shooting, Arkansas made 10 of its next 12 field goals to lead 30-20.
Auburn answered with an 8-0 run to get to within two (30-28). Malique Ewin ended the run to keep the Hogs in front.
Billy Richmond III led the Hogs with 12 points, including a highlight-reel dink and an impressive reverse layup off an alley-opp.
Darius Acuff added 11 points while Meleek Thomas had a team-best five rebounds.
The Hogs shot 60% from the field while holding the Tigers to 43%.
KeShawn Murphy led Auburn with 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting. Tahaad Pettiford added 11 points.

SECOND HALF: ARK: 50 – AUB: 43

Arkansas scored at least 50 points in a half for the 12th time this season.
Arkansas had an 11-0 spurt in that 15-2 run to start the second half as the Hogs raced out to a 53-34 lead.
Malique Ewin had a tip-in dunk at 14:04 in the second half to give Arkansas its largest lead of the game, 21 points (57-36).
Auburn followed with a 19-6 run to trim its deficit to eight (63-55) with 9:20 left. Auburn was also down just eight (65-57) with 8:25 left.
Richmond put the Hogs up 10 with 7:34 left after a steal and coast-to-coast dunk. From that point, Arkansas led by double digits the rest of the way.
Acuff scored 20 second-half points (6-of-9 FG, 4-of-5 3PT, 4-of-5 FT) with five assists and zero turnovers.
Richmond scored 13 second-half points.
Arkansas shot 55.6% in the second half while holding Auburn to 38.9%.
Tahaad Pettiford had 17 second-half points.

NOTES:

For the third-straight game, Arkansas’ starting lineup was Darius Acuff Jr., Meleek Thomas, Billy Richmond III, Trevon Brazile and Nick Pringle.
Auburn won the opening tip.
Auburn’s Sebastian Williams-Adams scored the game’s first points, a layup at 19:39. Billy Richmond III scored the first points for Arkansas, a layup at 17:35.
Arkansas’s first sub was Malique Ewin.
Arkansas has blocked 29 shots over the last three games (9 at Miss State, 10 at LSU and 10 vs Auburn). Brazile has 13 of those 29 (4, 5 and 4).
Arkansas has won 6 of its last 7 and has shot over 50% from the field in all six wins.
This was the 64th meeting between Arkansas and Auburn – and the second this season. All but one (a meeting in the 1967-68 season in Oklahoma City) have come since Arkansas joined the SEC.
The Razorbacks own a 29-24 advantage in the series, including a 24-6 margin versus the Tigers in games played in Fayetteville.
Arkansas snapped a three-game losing streak to Auburn. However, Auburn has won 4 of the last 6. but three of those six were played in Auburn, two in Arkansas and one in Nashville.
With his 31 points and seven rebounds, Darius Acuff remains on pace to lead the league in scoring and assists in SEC games only. He is the only one on record, with SEC only stats dating back to 1991-92 season.
Acuff is 10 points shy of the Arkansas freshman record for points in a season with 530. Scotty Thurman (1993) holds the record with 540 points in 31 games.
Acuff is 12 field goals made shy of the Arkansas freshman record for points in a season with 192. Scotty Thurman (1993) holds the record with 204 points in 31 games.
Acuff moved to 10th on the UA top 10 for points in a season in SEC games at 286.
Acuff moved to 9th on the UA top 10 for field goals made in a season in SEC games at 286.
Acuff is three assists shy of the UA top 10 for assists in a season in SEC games with 77,
Razorback head coach John Calipari now has 896 wins and is four shy of reaching 900 wins as head coach at an NCAA Division I program. Currently, only five coaches have at least 900 wins as head coach while at NCAA Division I programs: Mike Krzyzewski (1,202); Jim Boeheim (1,116); Rick Pitino (904); Roy Williams (903) and Bob Knight (902).

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