No. 25 Arkansas will follow its most complete performance of the season with a matchup against Fresno State on Saturday in North Little Rock, Ark.
Saturday’s game features old coaching friends John Calipari and Vance Walberg.
The Razorbacks (6-2) blitzed No. 6 Louisville on Wednesday, opening a 20-point lead in the second half and making the necessary plays down the stretch for an 89-80 victory.
Fresno State (6-3) has not played since its four-game winning streak was broken in a 76-71 loss to Cal State Bakersfield on Sunday.
“This schedule is supposed to toughen us up, let us know we can play with anybody,” said Calipari, whose Arkansas team had lost to ranked foes Duke and Michigan State.
“We played with fearlessness. They made a run and made us make our plays, and we did some good stuff to make sure we could finish the game off. When you are putting this kind of schedule together, you’re hoping you can win one or two. You just didn’t want to go 0-5.”
Calipari put the ball in the hands of freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. in the final minutes, with solid results. Acuff is considered a one-and-done candidate, and a reported 21 NBA scouts were in attendance.
Acuff had 17 points and 10 assists versus Louisville for his first double-double. He also had five rebounds.
“At the end of the game, he was everything,” said fellow freshman Meleek Thomas, who had 17 points. “He controlled the game. Distributing the ball. Scoring the ball when we needed it. Don’t look like no freshman to me.”
Forward Trevon Brazile (21 points, five rebounds) and backup center Malique Ewin (10 points, nine rebounds) helped Arkansas to a 46-36 rebounding edge.
Calipari said he showed Florida State transfer Ewin film of his games last season as a reminder of what he could do. Ewin averaged 14.2 points and 7.6 rebounds for the Seminoles.
“Malique Ewin doing what he did today got me going more than the ‘W,'” Calipari said. “He performed. He balled. He rebounded. He played through bumps. What he did, he’s going to help us.”
Calipari and Bulldogs’ coach Walberg met over dinner in Memphis in 2003, where the latter outlined the “dribble drive motion” offense he had used to great success in the high school and JuCo ranks in California.
Calipari adopted principles of that style at Memphis, where it became known as the “Memphis attack,” and his Kentucky Wildcats won the 2012 NCAA title using that same approach
“John is a very good friend of mine,” Walberg said. “I appreciate him giving us a chance to go out there and play. I have to figure a way to get better now.”
Clemson transfer Jake Heidbreder leads the Bulldogs in scoring (20.0 points), while point guard Zaon Collins (14.9 points, 5.7 assists).
“We shoot the ball,” Walberg said. “I sold (Heidbreder) on the vision that he can shoot a lot. My goal is he has to get at least threes up a game.”
