Arkansas

Wayne County boater death marks 23rd in Tennessee, surpassing 2024 total

Published

5 months ago

October 20, 2025

Wayne County boater death marks 23rd in Tennessee, surpassing 2024 total

Tennessee waterway deaths this year have climbed to 23, surpassed last year’s total, after an Arkansas man was killed in Wayne County Oct. 17.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency reported 22 deaths for all of 2024, a decrease from 27 in 2023.

Wildlife resource officers were called to Kentucky Lake in Wayne County just before 3 p.m. Oct. 17 after a boater went into the water, according to a news release.

Wayne County is about two hours south of Nashville on the Alabama, Tennessee state line.

Matthew Hubble, 37, of Brookland, Arkansas, was out on a boat with friends when he was ejected. The group had multiple boats on the water that day, the agency said.

Hubble’s friends immediately began searching for him, the agency said. They were successful and pulled him onto one of the boats where they took him to Clifton Marina. Paramedics met the group at the marina, the agency said.

Hubble ultimately did not survive.

He was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident, the agency said.

“The investigation is ongoing, and no further details are available at this time,” the agency said.

Kentucky Lake reported the most the most boating injuries in Tennessee last year with six, according to the 2024 Tennessee Boating Incident Statistical Report.

Water deaths down in Nashville area

Despite the rise in the number of deaths this year, the Middle Tennessee region has largely been spared.

Between April and September of 2023, there were 17 waterway deaths on Nashville District Lakes. Last year there were 14 deaths, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.

Percy Priest Reservoir and Old Hickory Lake led the state in fatal accidents on waterways in 2024 with three each, according to the statistical report.

Percy Priest has seen fewer incidents this year.

In June, a child drowned while swimming with his family at Hamilton Creek Park. Tobias Henock, 5, went underwater and was missing for several minutes before his father found him. Family began CPR until paramedics arrived and took the boy to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital. He was pronounced dead there.

A series of waves rocked David Holcroft’s sailboat, causing him to lose his balance and fall overboard Aug. 2. Nearby boaters heard a call for help.

Officers with the wildlife agency responded to the Hamilton Creek area of the Percy Priest Reservoir and pulled Holcroft from the water. Officers gave him CPR until paramedics arrived at the scene.

Holcroft was taken to TriStar Summit Medical Center, where he died.

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Arkansas

Arkansas Razorbacks play the High Point Panthers in second round

Published

3 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Press Room

Arkansas Razorbacks play the High Point Panthers in second round

High Point Panthers (31-4, 18-1 Big South) vs. Arkansas Razorbacks (27-8, 16-5 SEC)

Portland, Oregon; Saturday, 9:45 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Razorbacks -11.5; over/under is 168.5

BOTTOM LINE: No. 14 Arkansas takes on High Point in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Razorbacks’ record in SEC play is 16-5, and their record is 11-3 against non-conference opponents. Arkansas has a 25-8 record against teams above .500.

The Panthers are 18-1 in Big South play. High Point ranks fifth in the Big South with 23.0 defensive rebounds per game led by Cam’Ron Fletcher averaging 5.3.

Arkansas’ average of 8.2 made 3-pointers per game this season is only 0.7 more made shots on average than the 7.5 per game High Point gives up. High Point scores 9.8 more points per game (89.8) than Arkansas gives up (80.0).

TOP PERFORMERS: Darius Acuff Jr. is shooting 48.6% and averaging 23.0 points for the Razorbacks. Meleek Thomas is averaging 16.7 points over the last 10 games.

Terry Anderson is averaging 16 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals for the Panthers. Chase Johnston is averaging 1.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Razorbacks: 8-2, averaging 93.6 points, 33.6 rebounds, 17.2 assists, 7.1 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 88.9 points per game.

Panthers: 10-0, averaging 86.5 points, 34.3 rebounds, 15.3 assists, 9.2 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 73.0 points.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Arkansas

What Arkansas basketball’s John Calipari said about facing High Point in March Madness

Published

15 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

What Arkansas basketball’s John Calipari said about facing High Point in March Madness

PORTLAND, Ore. — Arkansas basketball is sticking around in the Pacific Northwest.

In order to clinch a berth in the Sweet 16 for a second consecutive season, the Hogs must take down an underdog brimming with confidence.

The No. 4 Razorbacks (27-8) knocked off No. 13 Hawaii 97-78 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 19. Arkansas began the game with an 11-0 run and never looked back, leading for 39:38 of a 40-minute contest.

Their next opponent is No. 12 High Point (30-4), who kickstarted the beautiful disruption of March Madness with an 83-82 victory over No. 5 Wisconsin just before the Hogs took the floor inside the Moda Center. Razorbacks coach John Calipari knows his team is in for a stiff test against a talented mid-major opponent.

“I’ll be walking the streets of Portland tonight enjoying this, but I’ve got three tapes that I got to watch of High Point,” Calipari said. “They’re good. Wisconsin found out they are good, and they’re not afraid.”

There might not be a hotter team in the country than the Panthers. They’re riding a 15-game winning streak into Saturday’s matchup, and coach Flynn Clayman delivered a fiery, confident statement after High Point stunned the Badgers.

“Looks pretty obvious to me that high-majors need to play mid-majors early in the season. Because they said we didn’t play nobody. We played somebody now,” Clayman told CBS Sports.

Calipari admitted he does have some familiarity with the High Point roster. Fifth-year senior Cam’Ron Fletcher began his career at Kentucky for the 2020-21 season before transferring to Florida State. There was a pit stop at Xavier, and now Fletcher is averaging 12.7 points and 6.9 rebounds with the Panthers.

The Panthers are led by a a pair of seniors in explosive wing Terry Anderson and veteran point guard Rob Martin. Anderson (16 ppg) has nine games this season with at least 20 points, while Martin (15.3 ppg) boasts an assist-to-turnover ratio better than 2-to-1.

After the Arkansas win, freshman point guard Darius Acuff Jr. said he didn’t pay attention to High Point’s upset against Wisconsin.

The SEC Player of the Year was following instructions from his Hall of Fame coach.

“I’ve been telling these guys, ‘You’re going to look and you’re worried about somebody in front of you, and they get beat. Then you’re playing somebody else,’” Calipari said. “That’s why you don’t even need to watch games. Just stay in the moment. Let’s stay in the five-minute segments. Let’s stay locked in.”

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.

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Arkansas

Darius Acuff Jr. NBA mock draft projection: Where Arkansas star is expected to land

Published

1 day ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

Darius Acuff Jr. NBA mock draft projection: Where Arkansas star is expected to land

March Madness is underway and today’s college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer’s NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY’s latest mock draft, Arkansas’s Darius Acuff Jr. is expected to go in the first round.

Here’s how USA TODAY currently projects the guard’s draft night will play out.

Darius Acuff Jr. 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 6 overall, Dallas Mavericks

All picks based on Tankathon lottery projection

Kalbrosky’s Analysis:

Now led by Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks need to find players who can help Dallas stay competitive on offense and Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. can do exactly that. The SEC Player of the Year is excellently efficient at operating ball screens or in isolation. He leads freshmen for points created per 40 minutes (43.1) either by himself or through an assist, per CBB Analytics. He can score well from either side of the court and is among the freshmen leaders in both alley-oop assists (15) and field goals made in transition (62) this season. There is a reason rival coach Sean Miller thinks this generational guard should have his name in the mix at No. 1 overall.

See USA TODAY’s full mock draft here