Arkansas
Purdue’s SEC transfer QB brings winning mentality that ‘makes you stand a couple inches taller’
Purdue football coach Barry Odom makes first public appearance
Purdue football coach Barry Odom addresses questions from media in first public appearance in West Lafayette
WEST LAFAYETTE — New Purdue football quarterback Malachi Singleton wants to win and doesn’t care what he must do to make it happen.
North Cobb High School coach Shane Queen saw everything he needed in a two-game span of Singleton’s junior season. Playing top-ranked Milton in their second game in 2021 — with a national ESPN audience — the North Cobb planned to showcase its budding quarterback prospect’s passing talents.
That strategy fell apart almost immediately.
“We went out the first drive and we felt like, man, we’re going to throw the football,” Queen said. “We had a couple receivers run the wrong routes, offensive linemen jump offsides. And our coordinator said, no, we’re going to go back to running the football.”
Singleton ran, too — for 224 yards and five touchdowns in a 40-21 upset victory. A week later against Alpharetta, he ran only twice, because he completed 18-of-22 passes for 323 yards and three touchdowns.
Those dual-threat abilities prompted multiple programs to reach out to Singleton when the former Arkansas quarterback went into the transfer portal after his freshman season. He chose Purdue, starting a quarterback room restock under new coach Barry Odom. Former UCF quarterback EJ Colson and former Washington State quarterback Evans Chuba also signed up.
New offensive coordinator Josh Henson knows about winning with dual-threat talents, most notably 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams at USC. Queen said Singleton dealt with the running quarterback stigma as a prospect. North Cobb always believed in him as a full-service quarterback, though, folding more run-pass options into its offense over time.
“Sometimes we would have three plays called in one,” Queen said. “He’s a very cerebral football player. You tell him once, he gets it.
“That’s what kind of player they’re getting. They’re getting somebody that’s not only competitive and has the mindset that we’re never going to lose a football game, but also one that’s going to play within what the coaches give him, and he’s going to take what the defense gives him.”
North Cobb’s 2021 team finished 10-2 and reached the second round of the Georgia state playoffs. One of Singleton’s top receivers on that team — De’Nylon Morrissette — is Purdue’s only projected returning receiver with multiple touchdown catches last season.
Singleton and Morrissette played together only for that 2021 season. Singleton, though, first started for North Cobb as a freshman when its three-year starter suffered a late-season injury.
His biggest moment thus far as a college quarterback came in similar circumstances. Arkansas starter Taylen Green suffered a fourth-quarter injury with his team trailing 14-10 against then-No. 4 Tennessee on Oct. 6.
Singleton’s entire career to that point consisted of 18 snaps of mop-up duty against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and three against Auburn. He took over in the red zone, but the Razorbacks settled for a field goal to cut the defict to one.
Arkansas went three-and-out on its next two drives with its green quarterback. On the third, Singleton took over at his own 41 with three minutes left and completed three consecutive passes to move back into the red zone. Then he kept it himself on a zone read for a go-ahead 11-yard touchdown run.
Tennessee had allowed him to score in order to get the ball back with as much time as possible, but the Razorbacks defense secured the 19-14 victory. It was the program’s first home win over a top-five opponent in 25 years.
“The last two drives, he was phenomenal,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman told reporters after the game. “He ran (the offense) very, very well and scored the touchdown to go ahead.
“He’s been here a long time and hasn’t gotten to play. To go in there and score the winning touchdown — with the help of 10 other guys — has to be really fulfilling for him.”
Queen said the North Cobb coaches were excitedly trading text messages while watching the game from their homes that night. Purdue hopes it puts itself in position for similar clutch moments one year after a 1-11 collapse.
Singleton’s competitiveness can be contagious, Queen says. He expects him to challenge teams and hold them accountable. He’ll also willingly take contact at 6-1, 225 pounds — something teammates tend to appreciate in their quarterback.
“What I love about him is, even in high school — and I always explained to college coaches — he didn’t care if we walked out and played the Georgia Bulldogs on Friday night. He always felt like we had a chance to win,” Queen said.
“As a coach, that makes you stand a couple inches taller. You feel the same when your quarterback, the guy who’s making those decisions, goes out there and has that mentality.”
Purdue arguably needs that win-at-all-costs attitude as much as it needs dyanamic quarterback talents. In Singleton, it hopes it found both.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — A humbling loss to Arizona means Darius Acuff Jr.’s career with Arkansas basketball is likely over.
Acuff is projected to be a top-10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. He scored a game-high 28 points as the No. 4 Razorbacks (28-9) fell to the No. 1 Wildcats (35-2) 109-88 in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 26.
After the loss, John Calipari reflected on Acuff’s historic season. The Hall of Fame coach will remember the Detroit native’s fierce spirit while hunting victories.
“(Acuff) was the ultimate competitor. He had a will to win and would make baskets because he wasn’t afraid to miss late in games,” Calipari said. “He and Meleek (Thomas) and the other guys, they set the stage for growth. You’re going to have an opportunity to get better, but it’s hard. The league is hard. You’ve got to be a gym rat if you really want to do this. Those guys proved it. I had a ball coaching them.”
Acuff became just the third person to win the SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year awards handed out by both the coaches and media, joining Anthony Davis (2012) and Brandon Miller (2023). He became the league’s first player since Pete Maravich to lead the SEC in both scoring and assists.
His final season-long stats were 23.5 points and 6.4 assists per game. He shot 48.4% from the field and 44% on 3-pointers.
Acuff was short on words in his final press conference with the Hogs, but he didn’t bring up his individual accolades when asked what he will remember the most from a dynamic collegiate season.
“Brotherhood, for sure,” Acuff said. “With the team, great support from the fans. I don’t know, a lot of good stuff. It was a great year, for sure.”
Arkansas fans won’t soon forget his dominance.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@usatodayco.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Arkansas
What channel is Arkansas basketball vs Arizona on today? March Madness game time, TV, streaming
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Darius Acuff Jr. and the fourth-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks will face Brayden Burries and the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats as the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament continues with the Sweet 16 Thursday in San Jose, California.
The Razorbacks (28-8) reached the West Region semifinals by beating Hawaii and High Point. Meanwhile, the Wildcats (34-2) beat Long Island and Utah State.
Here’s how to watch the Razorbacks-Wildcats game, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:
Watch March Madness live with Sling TV
What time is Arkansas vs Arizona today? When is NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game today?
- Date: Thursday, March 26
- Start time: 8:45 p.m. CT
- Where: SAP Center in San Jose, California
What channel is Arkansas vs Arizona on today? How to watch, stream NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
- TV: TBS/truTV
- How to watch online: Sling (free trial)
Arkansas vs Arizona betting odds for March Madness Sweet 16 game
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, March 26:
- Moneyline: ARI -375 | ARK +290
- Spread: Arizona (-8.5)
- Over/under: 165.5
All times CT
All times CT
Print your own March Madness bracket for 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament
The Arkansas Razorbacks parlayed an SEC Tournament Championship into two straight wins to start their NCAA Tournament run, getting past Hawaii and High Point in impressive fashion. Now, they’ll face their toughest challenge yet, a Sweet 16 showdown with the 1-seed Arizona Wildcats.
Arizona cruised past both Long Island University and Utah State in the first two rounds, and still has just two losses on its record all season. As you’d expect, they’re favored in this SEC vs. Big 12 showdown. Let’s take a look.
Arkansas vs. Arizona Odds, Spread, and Total
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook
Spread
- Arkansas +7.5 (-110)
- Arizona -7.5 (-110)
Moneyline
- Arkansas +278
- Arizona -355
Total
- OVER 166.5 (-110)
- UNDER 166.5 (-110)
Arkansas vs. Arizona How to Watch
- Date: Thursday, March 6
- Game Time: 9:45 pm ET
- Venue: SAP Center at San Jose
- How to Watch (TV): CBS
- Arkansas Record: 28-8
- Arizona Record: 34-2
Arkansas vs. Arizona Betting Trends
- The OVER is 9-2 in Arkansas’ last 11 games
- The OVER is 5-1 in Arkansas’ last six games vs. Big 12 opponents
- Arkansas is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 games as an underdog
- Arizona is 4-1 ATS in its last five games
- The OVER is 4-2 in Arizona’s last six games
- Arizona is 5-1 ATS in its last six games vs. SEC opponents
Arkansas vs. Arizona Best Prop Bet
- Brayden Burries OVER 17.5 Points (-106) via FanDuel
Brayden Burries has a chance to have a phenomenal performance on Thursday night. Arkansas may be a strong offensive team, but its defense leaves a lot to be desired. They rank 200th in the country in defensive efficiency and are allowing 80.3 points per game this season, which ranks 325th. If Burries brings his best stuff, the Razorbacks are going to be in trouble.
Arkansas vs. Arizona Prediction and Pick
Let’s try our best not to overreact to Arkansas being in the Sweet 16. They had a relatively easy path to win the SEC Championship, squeaking by both Oklahoma and Ole Miss by just three points before beating Vanderbilt in the final, completely avoiding the Florida Gators. Then, in the NCAA Tournament, they had the easiest path to the Sweet 16, getting to face a 13-seed and a 12-seed in the first two rounds.
The Arizona Wildcats are no joke and will be by far the Razorbacks’ biggest challenge. There’s a case to be made that Arizona is the best team in the country, and they have the interior defense to completely shut down the Arkansas offense. The Razorbacks rank 50th in the country in two-point shot rate. Now, they have to face an Arizona defense that ranks second in the country in opponent two-point field goal percentage, keeping teams to shooting just 43.7% from two-point range.
Arizona also mainly shoots two-point shots, ranking third in two-point shot rate, and now they get to face an Arkansas team that ranks 278th in opponent two-point field goal percentage, allowing teams to shoot 54% from two-point range.
This is a nightmare matchup for Arkansas.
Pick: Arizona -7.5 (-110)
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