SEC Champs! Hogs win first SEC Tournament since 2000

March 15, 2026

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – For the first time since 2000 and just the second time in program history, the Arkansas Razorbacks are Southeastern Conference Tournament champions after an 86-75 win over Vanderbilt inside Bridgestone Arena on Sunday afternoon.

Tournament MVP Darius Acuff Jr. finished with a double-double of 30 points and 11 assists – his sixth double-double of the season.

His 30.3 points per game average is an SEC Tournament record.
His 91 points were the second-most by any player in SEC Tournament history, but the most by a player to only play three games. NOTE: Tennessee’s Allan Houston scored 98 points (24.5 avg) in four games in 1991. The most by a player over three games was Tennessee’s Dale Ellis with 80 (26.7 avg) in 1983.
The 11 assists are the most by a Razorback in the SEC Tournament and the most by any player for the SEC Championship game.
His 30 points tied for the second-most points in an SEC Championship game. The record is 32 by Danuel House (Texas A&M) vs Kentucky in the 2016 title games. He tied Tyler Ulis (Kentucky) and Trendan Watford (LSU) with 30 points in a championship game.

The championship game lived up to its name as the game was close throughout until the final four minutes when the Razorbacks – thanks to several key plays by Acuff and Trevon Brazile – pulled away to secure the trophy.

Up two, Acuff hit a floater with 4:01 left to put the Hogs up four. Vandy’s Duke Miles cut the Hogs’ lead back to two points, but Arkansas surged to put the game away with a 12-point run. Brazile fueled the run with eight points, including a blocked shot, a pair of 3-pointers and a dunk to cap the rally. Brazile was also named to the All-Tournament team with Acuff, who added three assists down the stretch.

Both teams shot the ball well in the opening half, leading to a tight 41-39 advantage for the Hogs after Acuff sank a second 3-pointer inside the last minute of the half with just four seconds remaining. Arkansas was fantastic from long range, shooting 7-of-10 before the break. The Commodores responded with 16 made field goals, including six 3-pointers.

Acuff was incredible in his second 30-point game of the tournament, adding to his 37-point effort vs. Oklahoma in the quarterfinals. He paired up with Richmond to combine for 26 points in the first half with Richmond going 6-for-8 from the floor. Acuff took over in the second half with 18 points and seven assists, helping close down a four-point deficit to turn it into a five-point Arkansas lead midway through the half with a pair of buckets sandwiched around a pair of Wagner 3-pointers.

Two Hogs joined Acuff and Brazile in double digits. Billy Richmond III scored 18 points with DJ Wagner chipped in 11 points thanks to 3-of-3 shooting from 3-point range. Arkansas’ 15 3-pointers set a program record for a single-game in the SEC Tournament and matched the team’s high from the win over James Madison.

Miles and Tyler Nickel each scored 19 points to lead Vanderbilt.

The conference title for the Razorbacks is the first for the program since 2000 when the team made a run under Hall of Fame Head Coach Nolan Richardson.

FIRST HALF: ARK: 41 – VU: 39

Arkansas scored first and led for 16:46, compared to 1:44 for Vanderbilt, but the Commodores stayed close the entire half. There were three ties and 8 lead changes. The Razorbacks largest lead was seven (24-17 at 8:22) and Vandy’s largest lead was 2 (9-7 at 15:56).
Arkansas shot 53.8% and was 7-of-10 from deep. Vandy was 6-of-12 from deep and 43.2% overall.
Arkansas was able to have its lead as it 6-of-6 at the line and Vandy was 1-of-1. There was only 8 total fouls called in the first half – four on each team.
While Arkansas is among the NCAA leaders in fewest turnovers, the Hogs committed seven first-half turnovers while Vandy had just one with five steals.
Billy Richmond III, who made 2 3-pointers, led the Hogs with 14 points. Darius Acuff Jr. added 12, making both of his 3-point attempts … both inside the final 14 seconds of the half.
Tyler Nickel was 3-of-5 from deep and led Vandy with 13 points. Duke Miles added 12 points.

SECOND HALF: ARK: 45 – VU: 36

Arkansas shot 50% from the field, including 57.1% (8-of-14) from 3-point, while holding Vandy to 31% shooting (9-of-29).
However, the Commodores, which missed 11 straight shots midway through the second half, stayed in the game by going 14-of-14 at the free throw line.
Also, the tables turned on the assist/turnover ratio. Arkansas had 12 assists with three turnovers while Vandy had just six assists with six turnovers.
Vandy had a 6-0 run to take a 55-49 lead with 14:50 left.
From that point, Arkansas went on an 11-0 run on an Acuff layup, two triples by Wager and a 3-pointer from Acuff to lead 60-55.
Tyler Nickel ended the Razorback run with 3-pointer. However Acuff and Wagner sank 3-pointers to put the Hogs up 72-68.
With 3:41 left and Arkansas leading 74-72, the Razorbacks made their 12-0 run. Brazile had a 3-pointer, a near on a deflection that went out of bounds and stayed with Vandy, another 3-pointer, a blocked shot, a steal and a dunk.
Acuff had 18 pints and seven assists in the half and Brazile scored 10 points with two steals.

NOTES:

Arkansas’ starting lineup was Darius Acuff Jr., Meleek Thomas, Billy Richmond III, Trevon Brazile and Nick Pringle.
Vanderbilt won the opening tip.
Trevon Brazile started the scoring with a 3-pointer at 19:22.
Arkansas’s first sub was Malique Ewin.
Arkansas has played for the SEC Tournament title eight times, winning in 2000 and 2026 while finishing runner-up in 1995, ’99, ;07, ’08, ’15 and ’17.
Arkansas won six Southwest Conference Tournaments (’77, ’79, ’82, ’89, ’90, ’91) and was runner-up three times (’80, ’84 and ’85).
Arkansas is 2-6 all-time in SEC championship games.
Arkansas is 15-12 all-time in Bridgestone Arena.
Arkansas is 35-32 all-time in the SEC Tournament.
Arkansas is 7-1 all-time versus Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament.
John Calipari is 28-9 in the SEC Tourney. He has won SEC Championships in ’10, ‘11, ‘15, ‘16, ’17, ’18 and ’26. He was SEC runner-up in ’12 and ’14. Calipari is 62-17 overall in conference tourneys as head coach with 16 titles.
This was the 48th meeting between Arkansas and Vanderbilt. The Razorbacks own a 33-15 advantage in the series, including a 32-14 margin since Arkansas joined the SEC. Arkansas has won 11 of the last 14 games in the series.
Trevon Brazile was 4-of-5 from 3-point and added two steals and two blocked shots.
Brazile is the only Razorback to have the 40 3-pointers (41); 40 blocked shots (53) and 40 steals (51) in the same season. (HogStats)
Brazile is 1 of just 3 Razorbacks to have 40 steals (51), 40 blocks (53) and 40 assists (50) in the same season. (HogStats)

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