Acuff Adds a Pair of Midseason Player of the Year Watch Lists

FAYETTEVILLE – Razorback guard Darius Acuff Jr. added two more midseason watchlists honors to his resume as he was named to both the Oscar Robertson Award and Wayman Tisdale Award, both awards voted on by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Acuff is 1 of 25 on the midseason watch list for the Oscar Robertson Award, which goes to the National Player of the Year, and he is 1 of 15 on the midseason watch list for the Wayman Tisdale Award, which goes to the National Freshman of the Year.

Acuff is one of the top playmakers in the nation. He ranks 21st in the NCAA in assists (second in the SEC) while ranking second among NCAA freshmen at 6.3 assists per game. The Detroit native also ranks 42nd in the NCAA (fourth in the SEC) while ranking fifth among NCAA freshmen in scoring at 19.8 points per game. He is 1 of just three players in the NCAA to average 19.5 points and 6.0 assists (with Texas Tech’s Christian Anderson at 19.7 ppg and 7.4 assists; and SMU’s Boopie Miller at 20.8 ppg and 7.1 assists).

Acuff is coming off an impressive performance in a win over South Carolina. He registered his third double-double with 18 points and 13 assists with zero turnovers. Earlier this season versus Queens, Acuff had 23 points, 10 assists and zero turnovers. According to Rashad Phillips, since the turnover stat has been tracked, there’s only been three individual games in NCAA history in which a freshman posted at least 18 points, 10 assists and zero turnovers. Acuff has done it twice in a seven-game span, joining Duke’s RJ Barrett (vs NC State on Feb. 16, 2019) with 23 points, 10 assists and zero turnovers.

Acuff, a five-time SEC Freshman of the Week, is also on the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List and was named Midseason All-American by College Hoops Today and The Sporting News.

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