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Hunter Yurachek speaks with Dennis Gates after controversial play, scuffle in Arkansas vs. Missouri

Danby: Daniel Hager02/21/26DanielHagerOn3

Tempers flared near the end of the first half of Saturday afternoon’s SEC clash between No. 20 Arkansas and Missouri.

Just after Missouri guard Jayden Stone missed a three-point shot with three seconds remaining in the half, guard Jacob Crews ran right into the forearm of Arkansas forward Billy Richmond. The two started to exchange words before the teams exited for the locker room.

Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek was seen chatting with Missouri head coach Dennis Gates following the altercation. Richmond was called for a Flagrant 1 on the play.

“As we went to break at the end of the half, a Flagrant 1 was issued to Billy Richmond. No. 24 in white,” commentator Matt Schumacker said. “He got into a bit of a tussle with Jacob Crews. Right there on the back end of the tussle is where Richmond got the Flagrant 1. So Missouri will shoot free throws to start the seconds half.”

The game is extremely for both teams, as both are currently projected as NCAA Tournament teams in On3’s latest Bracketology. Arkansas is projected as a No. 5 seed in the East Region, while Missouri is projected as a No. 11 seed in the First Four in Dayton.

Darius Acuff Jr. is coming off monstrous game for Arkansas

Arkansas is coming off a 117-115 2OT loss to Alabama in one of the best games of the college basketball season, so far.

Superstar freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. scored a career-high 49 points on 16-27 shooting (6-10 from three-point range) from the field. He also dished out five assists, grabbed five rebounds, and turned the ball over just once in a whopping 50 minutes of play. His 49 points set the Arkansas freshman record, and he was just two points away from tying the program record for most points in a game (Rotnei Clarke scored 51 against Alcorn State in 2009).

During Thursday’s edition of ‘First Take,’ NBA veteran Kendrick Perkins claimed that he’d select Acuff Jr. with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

“He’s averaging six assists, so not only is he getting his, he’s making guys around him better,” Perkins said. “I’m really about to blow your mind with this one. I would actually take Darius Acuff Jr. with the No. 1 pick. He is Stephon Marbury times two with a Derrick Rose mentality towards his demeanor. He is a bona fide killer, and when you look at the guards and the scoring that can impact the league, he’s more NBA-ready than A.J. Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson.

“He is NBA-ready. We could look at Darryn Peterson right now. Darryn Peterson, we’re questioning right now if he loves the game. We’re questioning his mentality. If we look at A.J. Dybantsa, we’re questioning his body frame and if he’s going to be able to keep up with the physicality of the NBA. I don’t have one single concern about (Acuff) right now. He steps on that floor and I might pick him to win Rookie of the Year next year.”