Alabama extends win streak to 5 with thrilling double OT win over Arkansas
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Arkansas and Alabama might have just played the Game of the Year in the SEC. Heck, we wouldn’t argue with you if you insisted it was the Game of the Year in college basketball, period.
What a treat.
There were superstars on both sides in a high-scoring game that needed an extra 10 minutes to decide it. But while Darius Acuff had 49 points and posted one of the best individual efforts you’ll see in college basketball this season, it was Labaron Philon’s career-high 35 points that propelled the Crimson Tide to a 117-115 double overtime win over No. 20 Arkansas.
We got a good look at what this one was going to be like from the jump. Arkansas posted an insane 57 points in the first half, including a combined 38 points from Acuff and Meleek Thomas. Alabama, though, was able to hold on and keep it close with a cool 47 points of its own.
That’s when Philon, Amari Allen and Aidan Sherrell really started to go to work. The three players mentioned combined to score 80 of Alabama’s 117 points, and Philon especially was pretty much unguardable in the second half. When he wasn’t scoring from the floor, Philon was getting to the free throw line – which helped lead to 4 Razorbacks fouling out before it was all said and done.
Alabama has now won 5 straight and sits at 9-4 in SEC play. The Crimson Tide need some help, but Alabama is still very much alive for the SEC regular season title. Here’s the latest probabilities to do just that, via Kalshi:
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
