Darius Acuff Jr. And Ava Heiden Earn AP National Player of the Week Honors

The Associated Press announced its national players of the week in men’s and women’s basketball for Week 16 of the season. Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. And Iowa sophomore Ava Heiden were recognized for their outstanding performances.

Men’s Basketball: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Darius Acuff Jr., a 6-foot-3 freshman guard, delivered a historic performance in a 117-115 double-overtime loss at No. 25 Alabama on February 18, 2026, scoring 49 points. This set an Arkansas single-game freshman record and stands as the No. 2 total in program history by any player.¹

Acuff made 16 of 27 shots, 6 of 10 3-pointers, and 11 of 12 free throws, adding five rebounds and five assists with only one turnover in 50 minutes of play. His 49 points were the second-highest single-game total in Division I for the year and surpassed Todd Day’s 1992 program record for most points in a Southeastern Conference game. It also marked the most points scored by a player coached by John Calipari.¹

Following his remarkable performance against Alabama, Acuff continued to shine, scoring 20 points, grabbing four rebounds, and dishing out five assists in a win against Missouri.

Runner-Up

AJ Dybantsa, of No. 19 BYU, was named runner-up. The 6-9 freshman recorded 35 points and seven rebounds in a loss at then-No. 4 Arizona, and followed with a near triple-double of 29 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists in a home win against then-No. 6 Iowa State.

Honorable Mention

Cameron Boozer (No. 1 Duke) and Donovan Dent (UCLA) received honorable mentions.

Keep an Eye On

Moustapha Thiam, of Cincinnati, had a career-high 28 points, eight rebounds, and two assists in a 16-point win at then-No. 8 Kansas, shooting 11-for-17 from the field with zero turnovers in 30 minutes.

Women’s Basketball: Ava Heiden, No. 9 Iowa

Ava Heiden, a sophomore center for No. 9 Iowa, led her team to victories over Nebraska, Purdue, and Michigan, recording a double-double in each game.¹

She scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds with two blocks against then-No. 6 Michigan, shooting 75% from the field across the three games while averaging 24 points and 11.3 rebounds.

Runner-Up

Madina Okot, of No. 3 South Carolina, averaged 16.5 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks, helping the Gamecocks secure wins over Alabama and Ole Miss. She also made all five of her 3-point attempts.

Honorable Mention

Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame), Olivia Miles (No. 11 TCU), and Sarah Strong (No. 1 UConn) received honorable mentions.

Keep an Eye On

Hailey Adams, a redshirt junior guard for Rice, averaged 12 points, 16 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks while shooting 60% from the field, leading the Owls to victories over East Carolina and South Florida. Rice has won 19 straight games and is in contention for the top seed in the American Conference.