The Arkansas Razorbacks’ season hit a rough patch just a few days before its latest game. But John Calipari‘s team responded emphatically as they went on to secure a statement win over South Carolina. And it came with a surprising message from an NBA veteran star.

After their 108-74 win, in an interview, the Razorbacks’ head coach, Calipari, opened up about a message that came through the locker room from a three‑time NBA All‑Star, Julius Randle, who reached out to him with praise for his team.

“I’ve had more people tell me, ‘I love your team.’ Today, Julius Randle texted me and said, ‘I really love your team.’ I said, ‘Did you watch the last game?’ He said, ‘It doesn’t matter.’ Different people are calling me about this group and saying you have a lot of pieces,” the coach revealed.

That belief showed up almost immediately on the court against the Gamecocks. Arkansas didn’t just beat them; they overwhelmed the Gamecocks with pace, ball movement, and relentless pressure, turning the night into a response to anyone questioning their prowess after the Auburn loss.

From the opening minutes, the Razorbacks played with an urgency that was missing in the games earlier. The ball moved freely, bodies cut with intent, and the Razorbacks consistently attacked gaps instead of forcing isolation looks. That approach led to a season-high 27 assists while committing just four turnovers.

If any player should be credited for this win, it would be freshman Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff Jr. Thomas scored 21 points while missing just one shot from the field. Acuff, on the other hand, controlled the tempo, finishing with 18 points and 13 assists.

As the game went on, the gap only widened. The Razorbacks dominated the paint 66–36, turned turnovers into easy offense with a 22–2 edge in points off mistakes, and outran the Gamecocks in transition 32–7. So by the time Arkansas crossed the 100-point mark, the outcome had long been decided.

“I even told (the Gamecocks head coach) after, I said, ‘What you just did here, we did at Auburn.’ It’s the same thing. You kind of let go of the rope. We did the same. But they’re a good team… We had been the same with the top 10 opponents. And then we hit Auburn. So hopefully we learned our lesson. We don’t want to feel the way we felt after (the Auburn) game,” John Calipari further added.

Rather than dismissing their loss as a one-off failure. Coach Calipari framed it as a reminder of how thin the margin is in the SEC. A lesson he hopes this group carries with them as the schedule only gets tougher.

What’s next for John Calipari and the Razorbacks?

With this win under their belt, the Razorbacks now sit at 13-4 overall and 3-1 in their conference. The only losses they have faced so far came against the No. 12-ranked Michigan State Spartans, the No. 6 Duke Blue Devils, the No. 7 Houston Cougars, and the Auburn Tigers. And that’s where lies a dangerous pattern. Almost all the games they have lost came against powerful opponents. While they have also won three games against Top-25 teams, as the season moves forward, the games are only going to get much tougher.

So if Coach John Calipari plans to take his team to the national championship games, he would need to address their shortcomings soon.

Top Stories

Jerry Jones Announces Retirement Plans as Dallas Cowboys Owner Makes Triple Decision on Coaching Hiring

Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti Announces Plans to Sell Franchise and Explains John Harbaugh’s Firing

Mike Tomlin Receives New Job Offer as Steelers Make Final Decision on Firing HC After Aaron Rodgers’ Fury – Report

Wyndham Clark Doesn’t Hold Back as Brooks Koepka Return Deepens PGA Tour Tension

“Rest in Peace, My Champ”: Evander Holyfield Joins Boxing World in Mourning Sugar Ray Leonard’s Personal Loss

Kayla Harrison–Amanda Nunes Fight Falls Apart Days Before UFC 324 as Dana White Dealt Major Blow

But on a brighter side, if anyone has given the most outstanding performance in the Razorbacks this season so far. It is Darius Acuff Jr.! The 6-foot-3 freshman guard is leading the team with the most points (19.9) and assists (5.9) on average.

For their next game, the Razorbacks will lock horns with the No. 21 Georgia Bulldogs on January 17th. A game predicted to be in favor of the Bulldogs with 62.6% by ESPN. Following that, they will play against:

• The No. 10 Vanderbilt Commodores on January 20th.
• The LSU Tigers on January 24th.
• The Oklahoma Sooners on January 27th.

Their response against South Carolina showed what this group looks like when it plays connected. But whether that version of Arkansas shows up consistently, especially against elite competition, will define where this season ultimately goes.