Arkansas Freshman Darius Acuff Jr. Named Finalist for Bob Cousy Award

Acuff led the SEC in scoring, assists, and assist-to-turnover ratio this season.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Arkansas freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. has been named a finalist for the prestigious Bob Cousy Award, which honors the nation's top point guard. Acuff led the SEC in scoring, assists, and assist-to-turnover ratio this season, putting him on pace to become the first SEC player since Pete Maravich to lead the conference in both scoring and assists.

Why it matters

The Bob Cousy Award is one of the top individual honors in college basketball, recognizing the nation's best point guard. Acuff's selection as a finalist is a major accomplishment and highlights his standout freshman season, which has seen him emerge as one of the top young talents in the SEC and the country.

The details

Acuff, a Detroit native, averaged 22.2 points, 6.4 assists, and a 3.2 assist-to-turnover ratio during the regular season. He was named SEC Freshman of the Week a record seven times and also earned SEC Player of the Week honors. Acuff is a First Team All-American according to multiple outlets and is expected to add to his accolades before the season is over.

  • Acuff was named a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award on March 9, 2026.
  • Fans can participate in Fan Voting starting on March 13, 2026 on hoophallawards.com.

The players

Darius Acuff Jr.

A freshman guard for the University of Arkansas who led the SEC in scoring, assists, and assist-to-turnover ratio this season.

Pete Maravich

A legendary college basketball player who is the only SEC player to previously lead the conference in both scoring and assists.

Jaden Bradley

A finalist for the Bob Cousy Award from the University of Arizona.

Kingston Flemings

A finalist for the Bob Cousy Award from the University of Houston.

Jeremy Fears Jr.

A finalist for the Bob Cousy Award from Michigan State University.

Braden Smith

A finalist for the Bob Cousy Award from Purdue University.

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What’s next

Later this month, the finalists will be presented to Cousy and Lieberman and the Hall of Fame's selection committees, who will choose the winner of the Bob Cousy Award.

The takeaway

Darius Acuff Jr.'s selection as a finalist for the prestigious Bob Cousy Award is a testament to his standout freshman season and cements his status as one of the top young talents in college basketball. His ability to lead the SEC in scoring, assists, and assist-to-turnover ratio puts him in elite company and has Arkansas fans excited about the future of their program.