PORTLAND, Ore. -- On Saturday night, the hardwood floor inside the Moda Center served as the canvas for Darius Acuff Jr. to put together a masterful performance that joined the many he's had during his memorable freshman campaign at Arkansas.
The more than 14,000 fans in attendance bore witness to Acuff preventing the fourth-seeded Razorbacks from being upset by 12th-seeded High Point by pouring in 36 points, including 23 in the second half of their 94-88 victory to secure a spot in the Sweet 16.
Acuff added six assists to join Chris Paul as the only freshmen to begin their NCAA tournament career with consecutive 20-point and five-assist games since freshmen became fully eligible in 1973.
"It's how I was raised. Always wanted to be in the big moment," said Acuff, who also scored the second-most points by a freshman in NCAA tournament history behind De'Aaron Fox's 39 in the Sweet 16 in 2017 Sweet 16. His points total is the most in an NCAA tournament game in Arkansas history
The final five minutes served as a reminder that there's not a moment too big for the 19-year-old from Detroit. With the score tied at 83, Acuff powered his way to the rim for back-to-back layups to take a four-point lead.
On Arkansas' next possession, Acuff continued to have ice in his veins. He dribbled left and then buried a 3-pointer from the wing, extending the lead to 90-83 with 58 seconds left.
Acuff, projected to be the No. 7 pick in June's NBA draft, according to ESPN's Jeremy Woo, scored 12 of the Razorbacks' final 15 points.
Arkansas coach John Calipari said the confidence of Acuff, as well as fellow freshman guard Meleek Thomas, who had 19 points, served as the driving force for delivering in pressured situations.
"[Acuff and Thomas] have otherworldly confidence," Calipari said. "They could run for president and believe [they] could run this country, because that's how they think."
Acuff will leave Portland with 60 points and 13 assists in two games. He's the second player in the past 50 years to average 30 points and five assists in his first two NCAA tournament games (Billy Donovan, 1987) and the third player in the past 35 years with 30 points and five assists in any two-game span in the NCAA tournament (Jimmer Fredette in 2011 and Jay Williams in 2001).
His performance shouldn't take away from High Point's Rob Martin, who had his team on the cusp of doing the unthinkable for the second time this week. Martin recorded 30 points, four rebounds and five assists.
Martin and Acuff are the first opposing players to each have 30 points and five assists in an NCAA tournament game since Georgia's Willie Anderson and Kansas State's Mitch Richmond in the 1987 round of 64.
Martin scored six points in a span of 1:29 in the second half to even the score. But when the Panthers trailed 87-83, his 3-point attempt, which would have cut the deficit to one point, was blocked, and Acuff buried his clutch outside shot moments later.
"I wish we [had] won the game, but I feel pretty good [about] how I matched up against a lottery pick," Martin said. "He's a great player. He made great plays. I came back and tried to make plays for me and my teammates as well."
