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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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Darius Acuff has quickly established himself as one of the best players in college basketball and could become even more of a household name in the NCAA Tournament.
He's been part of a 26-8 run by the Arkansas Razorbacks, which included a recent run to win the SEC Tournament Championship. They bested Vanderbilt 86-75 in the final thanks to 30 points, 11 assists, and four rebounds from Acuff.
He's projected to land in the top 10 in many NBA mock drafts, showing just how talented he is and what sort of potential he offers to professional franchises.
Read More on NCAA
Before that occurs, Acuff and No. 4 seed Arkansas open their first round with an intriguing matchup against the No. 13 seed Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. They recently sent a blunt message about Acuff ahead of their meeting with the future NBA lottery pick.
Read more: Seth Greenberg Reveals March Madness Prediction for Top Seed to Lose First
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Guard Drew Bullock receives the likely matchup assignment against Acuff for Thursday afternoon's game from the West Region in Portland, Oregon. He spoke about facing the Arkansas standout in Hawaii's biggest game of the year.
“It’s a great challenge for us. Like you said, our coaches kind of broke it down. He receives a lot of attention. He’s a good player. Honestly, we’re not scared of anybody," the Hawaii guard said at a pregame press conference.
“Anybody we play, we’re still gonna play our same Hawaii basketball. We’re going to compete to the very end. It should be a good matchup. I’m excited. Everybody’s excited to guard him,” he said.
Acuff's past season has made an easy case for him being drafted in the top 10 for the NBA's next draft. He led Arkansas with 22.9 points per game to go with 6.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game, the sort of stats many pro teams are salivating over when it comes to future talent.
March Madness gives him more of a spotlight to put on some impressive performances as he and Arkansas dance.
Hawaii (24-8) earned its automatic bid to the Big Dance after claiming the Big West Tournament Championship with a 71-64 win over UC Irvine. Bullock contributed 15 points to go with seven rebounds, while teammate Isaac Johnson led the scoring with 22 points.
The 6-foot-6 senior from Franklinton, North Carolina, averages 13.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. He’s also had several performances featuring 25 points or more this season.
While superstars emerge during March Madness and have been known to take over, it’s still a team game. Hawaii realizes that, and while they won’t take Acuff lightly, they also won’t head into the matchup feeling daunted by his presence.
Read more: March Madness First Round Games Get TV Coverage Change
For more about the NCAA Tournament, visit Newsweek Sports.
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