Acuff’s 49 points not enough as No. 25 Alabama beats No. 20 Arkansas in double OT

A shootout worthy of the old west broke out in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday night. Two high-octane offensive teams, No. 20 Arkansas and N0. 25 Alabama came out of the gates on fire, and the scoring outburst never slowed throughout the double overtime extravaganza. Both teams’ backcourts feature multiple quick-trigger gunslingers capable of posting huge numbers, and both sides put elite individual performances on full display.

In the season’s first double overtime game between two ranked opponents, Alabama ultimately prevailed at home, 117-115. It was an instant classic between two excellent SEC programs that brought tremendous drama, premier shot making, and a multitude of twists and turns down the stretch.

Arkansas’ Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas were unstoppable early, exchanging haymaker jumpers that helped the Hogs build a 14-point lead on the road. The high-scoring duo – the only pair of freshman teammates in the country averaging over 15 PPG – seemed to be in control of the game, making play after play even as the Tide attempted to stay close with some fireworks of their own.

Acuff had 22 points in the first half and ended the night with 49. That was an Arkansas record in SEC play, breaking the mark set by Todd Day all the way back in 1992. He fell just one bucket short of Rotnei Clarke’s program-record 51 set against Alcorn State in 2009, but it was still a staggering achievement for the rookie maestro:

Arkansas’ Darius Acuff scored 49 points in tonight’s loss at (25) Alabama, the most by a freshman ever vs an AP Top-25 opponent, and the most by a freshman in any game since Mississippi Valley State’s Alphonso Ford scored 51 against Texas Southern in 1990.

— Jared Berson (@JaredBerson) February 19, 2026

Amid a season of towering freshman performances, Acuff’s may have been the best, despite the final result. He added five assists and five rebounds, as well, and he played all 50 minutes of the 2OT marathon.

Despite Arkansas’ initial surge, Alabama eventually stemmed the tide, and Nate Oats’ team had a second-half scoring explosion for the ages to erase the deficit. Led by star sophomore point guard Labaron Philon and interior anchor Aiden Sherrell, the Tide shot an absurd 76.2 percent from the field in the second stanza, including 13-of-14 (92.9 percent) inside the arc.

Philon was unstoppable off the bounce, getting in the lane at will to either finish at the rim or kick out to waiting shooters. He racked up 35 points and seven assists of his own, while his teammates Sherrell (26 points, 13 rebounds) and Amari Allen (19 points, 11 rebounds) posted double-doubles.

Alabama eventually took its first lead of the second half, 80-79, on a Philon 3 with 7:57 remaining. The Tide clung to a narrow advantage for a while, but with Acuff still in takeover mode, Arkansas was not going anywhere.

The frenetic final minute of regulation delivered plenty of drama. With Arkansas down 93-90, Thomas was dribbling in rhythm, hunting a chance to equalize from the perimeter. Just before he pulled up, John Calipari asked for a timeout – and Thomas drilled the jumper right after the whistle blew. The freshman phenom gave his coach an exasperated look, but Cal calmed his troops and quickly drew up a play for a quick two.

After the teams traded free throws, Acuff worked some magic of his own. He stepped into a game-tying triple attempt and splashed it, pushing him over 40 points for the night with his biggest bucket of the evening. Philon’s last-ditch fadeaway in the lane came up short, and the high-scoring shootout went to overtime.

Overtime became a war of attrition, and the deeper Tide barely outlasted the foul-ravaged Razorbacks. The Hogs finished the game with four of their seven rotation players fouled out, including losing Thomas early in the first OT. That meant little-used reserves Jaden Karuletwa (21 total minutes played this season) and Elmir Dzafic (15 total minutes) were on the court with the game on the line.

Down two on the final possession, Acuff missed a tough running layup, and Hog center Malique Ewin could not quite slam home the follow. The ball bounced out towards midcourt as the buzzer sounded, and the Tide celebrated a monumental victory in one of the best games of the entire college basketball season.