No. 20 Arkansas, Missouri Vying for Coveted SEC Tournament Seedings

Razorbacks' freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. set school record with 49 points in double-OT loss at No. 25 Alabama

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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No. 20 Arkansas will host Missouri on Saturday in a key SEC matchup, as both teams vie for coveted double byes in the upcoming conference tournament. Arkansas freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. had a record-breaking 49-point performance in a double-overtime loss at No. 25 Alabama earlier this week, but the Razorbacks were unable to hold on for the win. Missouri is coming off an 81-80 home victory over No. 19 Vanderbilt, keeping their own tournament hopes alive.

Why it matters

The SEC tournament seedings are up for grabs, with No. 12 Florida holding a two-game lead over a group of teams including Arkansas, Alabama, and Tennessee at 9-4 in conference play. Missouri is part of a group of five teams at 8-5, all fighting for the remaining double byes awarded to the top four teams. This game could have major implications for both teams' postseason positioning.

The details

Arkansas freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. set the school record for points in a game by a freshman with 49 in the Razorbacks' double-overtime loss at Alabama. Acuff made six 3-pointers and had five assists, five rebounds, and just one turnover while playing the entire 50 minutes. However, his 8-foot floater that would have tied the game in the final seconds of double overtime bounced off the rim. Arkansas had four players foul out in the loss, including starters Meleek Thomas and Billy Richmond III. Missouri is getting healthier, with guard Jayden Stone returning from an early-season wrist injury and forward Trent Pierce back from a lower-body issue that kept him out of the non-conference schedule.

  • On Wednesday, No. 20 Arkansas lost 117-115 in double overtime at No. 25 Alabama.
  • Also on Wednesday, Missouri defeated No. 19 Vanderbilt 81-80 at home.

The players

Darius Acuff Jr.

A freshman guard for No. 20 Arkansas who set the school record for points in a game by a freshman with 49 in the Razorbacks' double-overtime loss at Alabama.

Dennis Gates

The head coach of the Missouri Tigers.

John Calipari

The head coach of the No. 20 Arkansas Razorbacks.

Jayden Stone

A guard for Missouri who missed eight games earlier this season due to a wrist injury, but is now back and averaging 15.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.

Trent Pierce

A forward for Missouri who missed the non-conference season with a lower-body injury, but is now back and averaging 10.2 points per game.

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What they’re saying

“We did not break, and that's the most important part. For Selection Sunday (next month), our job is to get these types of wins. For us to be able to get this on our resume is very important.”

— Dennis Gates, Missouri Tigers head coach (statenews.net)

“I'm just proud of the way we fought. We're going to bounce back.”

— Darius Acuff Jr. (statenews.net)

What’s next

The winner of Saturday's game between No. 20 Arkansas and Missouri will take a big step towards securing one of the coveted double byes in the SEC tournament.

The takeaway

This SEC matchup between No. 20 Arkansas and Missouri has major implications for both teams' postseason positioning, as they vie for double byes in the upcoming conference tournament. Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr.'s record-breaking performance shows the Razorbacks' offensive firepower, but they were unable to hold on for the win against Alabama. Missouri, meanwhile, is getting healthier at the right time and looking to bolster its NCAA Tournament resume.