Alabama hosted Arkansas in a key stretch run SEC battle and it took absolutely everything they had to pull out a 117-115 win in double overtime.
This one was fast and fun from the jump as both teams looked to run and shot the ball well. Amari Allen came out hot and led Alabama to an early 15-9 lead. Unfortunately it wouldn’t last, because Arkansas couldn’t miss. The Hogs shot an absurd 62% from three on 13 attempts to take a 57-47 lead into the locker room. Arkansas guards Darius Acuff and Malik Thomas
each made four threes on five attempts and combined for 38 points. The Hogs led by as much as 14 in the half.
Without Charles Bediako, Alabama just isn’t good on defense. Arkansas was aggressive going to the hole because they had no fear of the Tide’s rim protection, which resulted in a bunch of wide open threes on kick outs. Rebounds were relatively equal, but at 31% from three Alabama was unable to keep up with the torrid Hogs’ shooting. Allen and Labaron Philon led Alabama with 11 points apiece, and Allen pulled nine first half boards. Enjoy Amari, folks. He’s looking like a lottery pick.
Things didn’t go well out of the locker room. Allen immediately threw the ball to Arkansas big Trevon Brazile for a runout dunk, and Thomas made two more quick threes to regain the 14-point cushion. At that point, Thomas was an unconscious 6-7 from three point range. Acuff continued to score from everywhere on the floor including a couple of longer midrange jumpers that Nate Oats is willing to live with.
Alabama seemed to find something with the pick-and-roll between Philon and Aiden Sherrell, resulting in a few easy looks at the basket including a couple of thunderous dunks from Sherrell. At the 12-minute media timeout, the Arkansas lead stood at 75-66 and Acuff was up to 29 points with Thomas at 22.
Allen was fouled headed into the timeout and made both, which kicked off a 9-0 Alabama spurt to tie things at 77. Arkansas was banged up coming into the game with only seven scholarship players available, and fatigue seemed to be a factor. Thomas picked up his fourth foul with just over eight minutes to go, which further reduced the Hogs’ depth. A Philon three had Alabama up one at 80-79 headed into the eight minute break.
Another pick-and-roll out of the timeout put former Alabama big Nick Pringle in a mismatch with Philon and resulted in Pringle getting his fourth as well. Philon made both for a three point lead. The next trip, Wrightsell went to the hole and got a fourth foul called on reserve guard DJ Wagner. With so few players in rotation in a game played at the pace of this one, everyone on the roster is exposed to foul trouble risk.
Wrightsell made both to stake the Tide to a six point lead, but the Hogs kept battling. Acuff scored five straight to get the lead back down to one, but another Sherrell roll for a dunk got it back to three at the final media timeout. A beautiful drive and reverse layup by Arkansas wing Billy Richmond cut it to one, then Philon answered with a drive of his own.
Wagner missed a three at the two minute mark and Philon took him to the hole again for a five point advantage. Sherrell was called for goaltending on an Acuff drive at the other end. and Philon missed a three with a minute left. Acuff missed a three on the other end but Arkansas secured the offensive rebound. Thomas made a three that would have tied things up but, fortunately for Alabama, Arkansas coach John Calipari called timeout before the shot. The score at that point was 93-90 Alabama with 32 seconds to play.
Thomas went to the hole out of the timeout and was fouled. He made both to pull within one at 93-92 and set up the photo finish. Alabama smartly got the ball into Aden Holloway’s hands knowing that Arkansas would foul to extend the game. He calmly knocked down both for a three point lead at 19 seconds. Acuff rose up for a long three with 12 seconds left to tie things up and finish regulation with 41 points. Philon got a decent look at the other end but the ball rolled off the rim to force overtime with the score knotted at 95.
The Hogs won the tip and Wagner immediately knocked down a corner three. Sherrell got it deep on the other end but was blocked by Brazile, then Richmond hit a midrange jumper for a five point lead. Sherrell was able to secure a putback on the other end to get it back within three. Brazile missed a runner on the other end, then Thomas fouled out by grabbing Philon 25 feet from the hoop.
Philon made both to pull within one. Acuff got to the hole again and missed. Richmond secured the offensive board to set up an Acuff chance from three as the shot clock expired, but for once he was off the mark. Wrightsell hit a transition three for a two point lead, but Acuff answered again with a pair of free throws. Alabama got a couple of good looks on the next trip but missed both, and Houston Mallette was called for a foul on the rebound.
Brazile made one of two for a one point lead at 103-102 just inside two minutes. Wrightsell took it to the hole on the other end and fouled Pringle out of the game, but made only one of two to tie it up again with 1:30 left. Everyone in the building knew that the ball was going to be in Acuff’s hands again. Allen got the assignment but was unable to keep him out of the paint, resulting in a foul and two more made free throws.
Allen answered on the other end with a drive for a pair of free throws of his own. The game was tied at 105 with a minute to play. Wagner missed from three, but Alabama had by far its ugliest possession of the night ending with a desperation heave from Allen that missed everything and resulting in a shot clock violation. Nate Oats had instructed Philon to play for the last shot despite a seven second clock differential, which was a curious choice that could have cost Alabama the game. Fortunately his pullup jumper rolled off the rim for a second extra period.
The two teams traded buckets to start. Wrightsell was called for holding Acuff and he made one of two. Philon went to the hoop again on the next possession and was fouled by Richmond for his fifth, which forced Calipari to play walk-on Jaden Karuletwa. Philon made one of two to tie things at 108. Brazile made a layup for a two point lead, then was called for goaltending on a Wrightsell runner. The call was initially upheld on replay but then reversed by Birmingham to the confusion of Auburn fans everywhere.
A Philon drive put the Tide back up two, but they couldn’t handle prosperity. Holloway inexplicably fouled Acuff on a three pointer that was left well short and he made all three for a one point lead. Aden then took the ball to the hoop on the other end and was fouled by Richmond, who became the fourth Arkansas player to be disqualified. Yet another walk-on was inserted into the game.
Holloway made both to put Alabama back up by a point. An errant lob from Acuff gave the ball back to the Tide with a minute left, setting up a huge three from Mallette for a four point lead. The Tide let Brazile get down the lane for a dunk then had another terrible possession trying to run the clock out, setting up Acuff with a chance to be a hero. Fortunately he decided not to try for a winning three pointer and ended up missing an 8-foot runner and Alabama survived.
There hasn’t been a better individual performance this season in college basketball than what we saw out of Acuff tonight. He played all 50 minutes and tossed in 49 points, very nearly willing his team to victory against a hot opponent despite all of the attrition. Philon countered with 35 points and 7 assists in 41 minutes, Sherrell added 26 points and 13 rebounds, and Amari Allen contributed 19 and 11.
This was a huge win that places Alabama in the catbird seat for one of the coveted double byes in the SEC tournament. And, it was as entertaining as sports can get.
Great night for the Tide, and great effort from Acuff.
Roll Tide.
