In a thrilling double-overtime battle Wednesday night in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the 25th-ranked Crimson Tide mounted an incredible comeback from a 14-point deficit to edge 20th-ranked Arkansas 117-115.
Labaron Philon Jr. delivered a spectacular performance for Alabama, dropping a season-best 35 points while dishing out seven assists to lead the dramatic turnaround victory.
The Crimson Tide managed to secure the win despite allowing Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. to pour in an astounding 49 points, establishing a new school record for first-year players.
Alabama received strong support from Aiden Sherrell, who posted season-high numbers with 26 points and 13 rebounds, while Amari Allen contributed a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. The victory extended the Crimson Tide’s winning streak to five games and improved their record to 19-7 overall and 9-4 in Southeastern Conference play.
For Arkansas, Meleek Thomas provided 24 points to complement Acuff’s record-setting night. Both Thomas and Acuff connected on six three-pointers each. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Razorbacks, who fell to 19-7 overall and 9-4 in SEC action.
The decisive moment came when Houston Mallette drained a three-pointer with 51 seconds remaining in the second overtime period, giving Alabama a 117-113 advantage. Arkansas responded when Trevon Brazile slammed home a dunk to cut the deficit to two points, but Acuff’s floating layup attempt in the closing seconds missed its mark, sealing Alabama’s victory.
In other Top 25 action, fourth-ranked Arizona bounced back from a two-game losing streak by defeating 23rd-ranked BYU 75-68, with reserve Anthony Dell’Orso scoring a career-high 22 points. Creighton pulled off a major upset by knocking off fifth-ranked UConn 91-84, led by Josh Dix’s 21 points in an emotional performance following his mother’s recent passing from cancer.
Eighth-ranked Kansas handled Oklahoma State 81-69 behind Darryn Peterson’s 23 points, while 10th-ranked Illinois dominated USC 101-65 with seven players reaching double figures. Eleventh-ranked Gonzaga continued their dominance over San Francisco with an 80-59 victory, extending their winning streak against the Dons to 35 consecutive games.
Fourteenth-ranked Virginia crushed Georgia Tech 94-68 to extend their winning streak to seven games, and 17th-ranked St. John’s moved atop the Big East standings with a 76-70 victory over Marquette, pushing their winning streak to 12 games. In an upset, Missouri edged 19th-ranked Vanderbilt 81-80 after nearly blowing a 21-point lead in the final minutes.
