The No. 17 Arkansas Razorbacks captured the program’s first conference tournament championship in a quarter century Sunday, defeating the No. 22 Vanderbilt Commodores 86–75 in the title game of the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Freshman star Darius Acuff Jr. delivered a sensational performance, scoring 30 points while dishing out 11 assists to power Arkansas to its first SEC Tournament title and automatic NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament berth since 2000.
The victory also added another historic milestone for Razorbacks head coach John Calipari, who became the first coach in SEC history to win conference tournament championships with two different programs. Calipari previously captured six SEC tournament titles while coaching the Kentucky Wildcats, including the 2017 championship over Arkansas. With Sunday’s triumph, Calipari now owns 16 conference tournament championships across his Hall of Fame career.
The championship matchup featured a highly anticipated duel between All-SEC guards, as Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner drew the assignment of defending Acuff, the SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year.
Acuff rose to the challenge, putting on a complete offensive showcase. He found teammates with precise passes, knocked down step-back jumpers, buried three-pointers and attacked the rim for key layups whenever the Razorbacks needed momentum.
Arkansas, which finished the tournament at 26–8, sealed the victory with a decisive 12–0 run in the closing minutes. The surge not only put the game away but also snapped the program’s four-game losing streak in SEC title games.
Billy Richmond III added 18 points for the Razorbacks, while Trevon Brazile contributed 16 and D.J. Wagner chipped in 11 in a balanced Arkansas attack.
Vanderbilt (26–8) entered the championship game with momentum after routing No. 4 Florida in the semifinals, the Commodores’ first victory over an AP top-five team since 2012 and their largest margin ever against such an opponent.
The Commodores also hoped to capture their first SEC Tournament title since 2012—the year they defeated Calipari’s Kentucky squad in the championship.
Duke Miles and Tyler Nickel each scored 19 points to lead Vanderbilt, while Tanner finished with 15.
Arkansas held a narrow 41–39 lead at halftime, but Vanderbilt briefly seized control early in the second half. AK Okereke knocked down a three-pointer with 17:57 remaining to give the Commodores a 46–45 lead. Vanderbilt later built its largest advantage at 55–49 after a 9–4 run.
However, the Commodores’ offense went cold at the worst possible time, missing 12 of 13 shots during a crucial stretch that allowed Arkansas to regain momentum.
Nickel’s three-pointer with 6:40 left tied the game at 66, setting up a tense finish. But from that moment forward, the Razorbacks dominated, unleashing the decisive run that secured the championship.
The title game marked the second meeting between the teams this season. Arkansas had previously routed Vanderbilt by 25 points on Jan. 20 at Bud Walton Arena, but Sunday’s contest was far more competitive before the Razorbacks’ late surge.
Ultimately, Acuff’s brilliance and Arkansas’ late defensive clampdown proved too much.
For Calipari and the Razorbacks, the victory not only delivered a long-awaited SEC Tournament crown but also positioned Arkansas as a dangerous team heading into March Madness.
