Arkansas basketball lets upset chance slip away in OT loss at Alabama in SEC finale
The Arkansas basketball team has had ample opportunities this year for a signature SEC victory, but the Razorbacks have been unable to cross the finish line.
That season-long storyline reappeared Saturday, with the Hogs leading No. 16 Alabama by 10 points in the second half and holding a seven-point advantage in the final minutes. Arkansas (15-16, 6-12 SEC) could not complete the upset bid, with the Crimson Tide (21-10, 13-8) rallying for a 92-88 victory in overtime.
Alabama was on the ropes down the stretch, but the Crimson Tide scored the final six points of regulation to force an extra period. Grant Nelson made a three to trim the deficit to 74-71, and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. tied the game on another long-range conversion with 21 seconds remaining.
In overtime, freshman Sam Walters scored seven points to power Alabama to the win. Arkansas is now locked in to be the No. 12 seed at next week's SEC Tournament and will face No. 13 Vanderbilt Wednesday.
Here are four observations from the Arkansas loss.
Alabama offense breaks through against Arkansas basketball defense
The Hogs set the tone early on with a physical defense that clogged the paint and forced Alabama to take contested layups or outside shots. The Crimson Tide started the game 5-for-19 and trailed 36-21 with 6:24 remaining in the first half.
Alabama started finding modest success when it picked up the tempo, but the Razorbacks stood strong until the closing stages of regulation. Alabama scored 39 points over the final 11:34. Mark Sears continued his strong season by scoring 22 points and dishing out six assists.
But the contributions from Wrightsell Jr. and Walters made a huge difference. That duo combined for 30 points and made clutch baskets to break the Arkansas hearts.
Up-and-down game for Khalif Battle
Battle has carried the Arkansas offense down the stretch of the season, and the electric guard scored a team-high 22 points against Alabama. He's averaging 32.6 points over the last five games.
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But Battle was inefficient in the loss, going 5-for-16 from the field and committing sixturnovers. He missed a 3-pointer at the end of regulation that would have won the game, and the Alabama defense keyed in on Battle throughout. The Crimson Tide did not give him easy looks either attacking the basket or from long range.
With all the focus on Battle, Makhi Mitchell had a productive outing with 18 points and five rebounds. He scored 12 combined points in the second half and overtime, but a missed dunk by Mitchell in the final minutes proved costly, with Wrightsell Jr. hitting his game-tying three on the ensuing possession. It looked as though Mitchell was fouled on his miss, but the referees did not blow their whistle.
Trevon Brazile makes an appearance
It’s been a brutal year for Brazile, who has battled injuries and struggled to make a lasting impact after starting the season as a potential NBA lottery pick.
But Brazile flashed his potential against the Crimson Tide, scoring 12 points on 6-for-12 shooting. He did most of his damage in the first half, when he was aggressive with the ball in his hands and capitalized on offensive rebounds with easy put-backs. He made a clutch layup in the final minutes to give Arkansas a six-point lead.
The 3-point shot still isn't falling, but this was the type game Arkansas fans envisioned from Brazile all season.
Free throws save Arkansas offense
The Hogs crossed the 80-point threshold for a fifth straight game, but Arkansas shot just 45% overall and 20% from 3-point range. Foul shots powered the offense all game, with the Hogs going 24-of-27 from the free-throw line.
Eleven of those made free throws came from Battle. Arkansas opened the second half by missing 10 of its first 11 shots, and the offense looked pedestrian across the final 25 minutes.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas basketball lets upset chance slip away, falls to Alabama in OT
