The 23rd ranked Crimson Tide basketball team beat the 17th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks 117-115 in double overtime on Wednesday night in an instant classic. Bama has now won five games in a row. The visiting Hogs led by 10 points at halftime and pushed their lead to 14 before the home standing Tide forged a comeback. The two teams traded punch after punch over the last several minutes of regulation and the 10 minutes of the two overtimes. Arkansas freshman phenom Darius Acuff Jr. put on a performance reminiscent of Ja Morant’s trip to Coleman Coliseum a few years ago, pouring in 49 points with five rebounds and five assists. The win was Bama’s 6th straight win over Arkansas and the Tide improved to 19-7 overall and 9-4 in the SEC. The Razorbacks fell to 19-7 and 9-4 in league play.
Coach Nate Oats stayed with the starting lineup of Labaron Philon, Aden Holloway, Amari Allen, London Jemison, and Aiden Sherrell that has been used throughout the current winning streak. Arkansas countered with Acuff, Meleek Thomas, Trevon Brazile, former Alabama player Nick Pringle, and Billy Richmond III. The Hogs were down to seven healthy scholarship players entering the game.
Led by Allen the Tide jumped out to a 15-9 lead with 16:14 left in the half. Acuff and Thomas responded in a big way and the Hogs forged to a 41-31 lead with 6:30 remaining. The teams traded baskets over the rest of the period and Arkansas took a 57-47 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Alabama shot 19-37 for 51%, including 5-16 for 31% from deep and made 4-6 free throws. Bama grabbed 16 rebounds, dished out seven assists, blocked one shot, and one steal, and turned the ball over only twice. Allen led the way with 11 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and a block. Philon also scored 11 with two assists. Holloway added nine points.
Arkansas was unconscious in the first half, shooting 23-38 for 61%, 8-13 from deep for 62%, and 3-3 at the free throw line. The Razorbacks had 18 rebounds, eight assists, four blocks, and only one turnover. Acuff scored 22 points on 6-8 shooting-4-5 from deep, with four rebounds. His sidekick, Thomas added 16 points with the same shooting line.
The same starters were employed for the second half. When Allen scored and was fouled the score was 59-51 with 18:30 left. Allen missed the free throw and the Hogs then scored six straight to stretch the lead to 65-51 with 18:09 left. The lead stayed around 13-14 points up until the 14:11 mark when Philon made two free throws to cut the lead to 70-60. A Sherrell dunk and two free throws by Allen pulled Bama within seven at 75-68 with about 10 minutes left. A Wrightsell three and an Allen layup closed it to 77-75 with 9:20 remaining. Philon made both ends of a 1-1 , a three, and two more free throws to tally seven straight points and a 82-79 Bama lead with 6:49 on the clock. With 5:31 left the Tide led 85-79, but the Razorbacks were not dead.Holloway made 2-2 at the free throw line with 19 seconds left for a 95-92 lead. Of course the Hogs got the ball to Acuff and he drilled a game tying three pointer for a 95-95 game. Philon had a great look in the lane to win the game, but the ball rolled off as the clock expired, sending the game to overtime.
Arkansas jumped out to a five point lead at 100-95 before two Philon free throws and Houston Mallette’s first basket of the game, a three pointer, put the Tide ahead 102-100 with 2:13 left. The Hogs went back ahead 103-102. Latrell Wrightsell made 1-2 free throws for a 103-103 tie. Acuff put the Razorbacks ahead 105-103 with 1:13 left. Allen drove and was fouled, and calmly knocked down both free throws to tie the game with 52 seconds remaining. After back and forth and a late Tide turnover, Arkansas had the ball with 7.6 seconds left. After a miss at the buzzer more free basketball in the form of a second overtime.
In the second overtime Arky scored first before Sherrell tied it up with two free throws. The Hogs made one of two free throws, and Philon followed suit for a 108-108 score. Bama scored a basket on a goal tending call on Arkansas. Arky coach John Calipari called for a review. After a long delay the call was upheld, momentarily. The SEC office called and had the officials go back and unconfirm the call. Fortunately the possession arrow was pointing the Tide’s way and they maintained the ball. Sherrell scored a hoop at the rim to tie the game 110-110. Alabama scored to go ahead before Holloway fouled (maybe?) Acuff on a three pointer attempt. The superstar freshman made all three shots for a 113-112 lead with 1:31 left. Holloway was fouled on what should have been an and one shot and made both for 113-112 lead. With 46 seconds left Mallette hit his second and last basket of the game, another clutch three pointer for a 117-113 lead for Bama. Arkansas scored on a layup to draw within two. Alabama turned the ball over and Acuff missed a potential tying runner in the lane and the Hogs missed a tying follow up and the Tide had the amazing 117-115 victory.
In the second half Alabama shot an incredible 16-21 for 76%, with 3-7 from three point range. Bama knocked down 13-15 at the charity stripe. In the two OT’s they shot 5-13 and 10-12 at the stripe. Overall the Tide finished 40-71 for 56%, 10-29 for 35% from three, and 27-33 for 82% on freebies. Alabama finished with 43 rebounds, 16 assists, one block, five steals, and 12 turnovers. Philon led the way with a career high 35 points and added seven assists, two rebounds, and only two turnovers. Sherrell won the hard hat and had a career high 26 points and a career high 13 rebounds, in 39 minutes played. Allen did his thing with 19 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal. Holloway tossed in 15 points, Jemison added nine, and Mallette despite only having six points, but they weee huge.
Arkansas shot 15-33 in the second half, 4-11 from deep. In the overtime’s the Hogs hit 5-16 and 9-11 on free throws. Overall the Razorbacks were 43-87 for 49%, 13-26 from three, and 16-19 on free throws. Arky had 35 rebounds, 15 assists, six blocks, six steals, and only seven turnovers. Acuff put on a clinic with 49 points on 16-27 shooting, five rebounds, and five assists. Thomas added 24 points with six rebounds. Richmond scored 20 points with six rebounds. Brazile was also in double figures with 11 points and led the team with seven rebounds.
This was probably the most exciting game I have attended in over 50 years of going to Coleman Coliseum. The back and forth in the late second half and both overtime’s was pure cinema. Acuff and Philon put on a show. Philon just took over late and scored at will on drives into traffic. This was the first game between ranked teams were both squads scored over 110 points each since the 2009 Big East Tournament game between Syracuse and UConn. Sherrell was a beast, and I still implore that he has played better with out Charles Bediako on the floor.
Next up is a road game at LSU on Saturday at 5 p.m. in a game that will be shown on the SEC Network. The Tide needs to avoid a hangover from this incredible win on Wednesday night. The Tigers are near the bottom of the league but can be dangerously especially at home.
‘RollTide!
