No. 25 Arkansas will follow its most complete performance of the season with a matchup against Fresno State on Saturday in North Little Rock, Ark.<\/p>\n
Saturday\u2019s game features old coaching friends John Calipari and Vance Walberg.<\/p>\n
The Razorbacks (6-2) blitzed No. 6 Louisville on Wednesday, opening a 20-point lead in the second half and making the necessary plays down the stretch for an 89-80 victory.<\/p>\n
Fresno State (6-3) has not played since its four-game winning streak was broken in a 76-71 loss to Cal State Bakersfield on Sunday. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis schedule is supposed to toughen us up, let us know we can play with anybody,\u201d said Calipari, whose Arkansas team had lost to ranked foes Duke and Michigan State.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe played with fearlessness. They made a run and made us make our plays, and we did some good stuff to make sure we could finish the game off. When you are putting this kind of schedule together, you\u2019re hoping you can win one or two. You just didn\u2019t want to go 0-5.\u201d <\/p>\n
Calipari put the ball in the hands of freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. in the final minutes, with solid results. Acuff is considered a one-and-done candidate, and a reported 21 NBA scouts were in attendance. <\/p>\n
Acuff had 17 points and 10 assists versus Louisville for his first double-double. He also had five rebounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the game, he was everything,\u201d said fellow freshman Meleek Thomas, who had 17 points. \u201cHe controlled the game. Distributing the ball. Scoring the ball when we needed it. Don\u2019t look like no freshman to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Forward Trevon Brazile (21 points, five rebounds) and backup center Malique Ewin (10 points, nine rebounds) helped Arkansas to a 46-36 rebounding edge. <\/p>\n
Calipari said he showed Florida State transfer Ewin film of his games last season as a reminder of what he could do. Ewin averaged 14.2 points and 7.6 rebounds for the Seminoles.<\/p>\n
\u201cMalique Ewin doing what he did today got me going more than the \u2018W,’\u201d Calipari said. \u201cHe performed. He balled. He rebounded. He played through bumps. What he did, he\u2019s going to help us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Calipari and Bulldogs\u2019 coach Walberg met over dinner in Memphis in 2003, where the latter outlined the \u201cdribble drive motion\u201d offense he had used to great success in the high school and JuCo ranks in California.<\/p>\n
Calipari adopted principles of that style at Memphis, where it became known as the \u201cMemphis attack,\u201d and his Kentucky Wildcats won the 2012 NCAA title using that same approach<\/p>\n
\u201cJohn is a very good friend of mine,\u201d Walberg said. \u201cI appreciate him giving us a chance to go out there and play. I have to figure a way to get better now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Clemson transfer Jake Heidbreder leads the Bulldogs in scoring (20.0 points), while point guard Zaon Collins (14.9 points, 5.7 assists).<\/p>\n
\u201cWe shoot the ball,\u201d Walberg said. \u201cI sold (Heidbreder) on the vision that he can shoot a lot. My goal is he has to get at least threes up a game.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2013Field Level Media<\/p>\n
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