TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Houston Mallette made a 3-pointer with 51 seconds left in the second overtime and No. 25 Alabama survived one of the best single-game performances of the season to edge 20th-ranked Arkansas 117-115 on Wednesday night.
Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. scored 49 points — the second most in college basketball this season — playing all 50 minutes. But Acuff missed jumpers at the end of two extra frames that would have given the Razorbacks (19-7, 9-4 Southeastern Conference) a short-handed road victory.
Advertisement
Arkansas used a seven-man rotation throughout regulation, but four players fouled out in overtime. That forced coach John Calipari to turn to two guys who had played a combined 35 minutes all season.
It was the opening the Crimson Tide (19-7, 9-4) needed to pull out a game that will remain an instant classic.
Labaron Philon Jr. scored 35 points and Aiden Sherrell added 26 – both career highs – to help Alabama win its fifth straight game.
Arkansas, meanwhile, lost for the first time in four games. Acuff’s 49 points are the second most by an Arkansas player and the most by an Arkansas player in SEC play.
Advertisement
Alabama trailed by 14 in the second half, but an 18-4 run tied the game. They took the lead in the final seconds of regulation — until Acuff’s 3-pointer tied the game at 95 and sent it to overtime.
Meleek Thomas (24) and Billy Richmond III (20) also scored in double figures for the Razorbacks before fouling out.
Sherrell pulled down 13 rebounds for Alabama, which also got 19 points and 11 rebounds from Amari Allen. Aden Holloway finished with 15 points for the Tide.
To be continued
Arkansas hosts Missouri on Saturday.
Alabama travels to LSU on Saturday.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Register here And here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll And https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
