Arkansas Coach Calipari Focuses on March Madness, Not SEC Tournament

Razorbacks star Darius Acuff Jr. named SEC Player and Freshman of the Year, but coach rests him to heal ankle injury

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari is not focused on the SEC Tournament this week, instead looking ahead to the NCAA Tournament. With star freshman Darius Acuff Jr. named SEC Player and Freshman of the Year, Calipari is giving Acuff extra time to heal an ankle injury, even though it may cost the team in the conference tournament. Calipari's priority is getting his team healthy and peaking for the NCAA Tournament in March.

Why it matters

Calipari's approach highlights the balance coaches must strike between short-term conference tournament success and long-term NCAA Tournament aspirations. By prioritizing Acuff's health over the SEC Tournament, Calipari is signaling that the Razorbacks' ultimate goal is a deep NCAA Tournament run, not just winning the conference title.

The details

Acuff was named SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year on Monday, a rare accomplishment. However, Calipari said he is going to hold Acuff out of some practice time to allow his ankle injury to fully heal, even though it may cost the team in the SEC Tournament. Calipari said he "heard" Acuff's pleas to play through the injury, but ultimately overruled him, saying "he wasn't going to over-rule me on this one." Calipari believes the extra rest will have Acuff closer to 100% for the NCAA Tournament.

  • On February 21, Acuff talked Calipari out of holding him out to rest his ankle.
  • On Saturday, the Razorbacks defeated Missouri 88-84 without Acuff, which Calipari believes showed the team's depth and energy.
  • The SEC Tournament begins this Friday, March 14.

The players

John Calipari

The head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball team, known for his success in developing players and leading teams deep into the NCAA Tournament.

Darius Acuff Jr.

The star freshman for the Arkansas Razorbacks, who was named SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year after a standout season.

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What they’re saying

“Getting the Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year in this league, really difficult. It's only happened a few times in the history of the whole league.”

— John Calipari, Head Coach, Arkansas Razorbacks (si.com)

“I heard him but he had no chance. He wasn't going to over-rule me on this one.”

— John Calipari, Head Coach, Arkansas Razorbacks (si.com)

“I said, 'why do you think that was?' He says, 'I don't know. I said, maybe because you weren't in there.'”

— John Calipari, Head Coach, Arkansas Razorbacks (si.com)

“Coaching him, telling him I'm not satisfied, you got more in the tank. Got a couple other guys that did individual work with them. Same idea. I'm not giving up on you.”

— John Calipari, Head Coach, Arkansas Razorbacks (si.com)

What’s next

The Razorbacks will face their first opponent in the SEC Tournament this Friday, March 14. Coach Calipari will continue to monitor Darius Acuff Jr.'s ankle injury and determine if he is ready to return to the lineup for the tournament.

The takeaway

John Calipari's focus on Darius Acuff Jr.'s long-term health over short-term conference tournament success shows his priority is getting the Razorbacks peaking for the NCAA Tournament. This approach, while potentially costing Arkansas in the SEC Tournament, demonstrates Calipari's experience in developing teams for March Madness rather than just regular season accolades.