Alabama Overcomes Double-Digit Deficits to Win Double-OT Thriller Over Arkansas

Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats praises team's resilience and depth in crucial SEC victory

Feb. 24, 2026 at 1:47am

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No. 25 Alabama defeated No. 20 Arkansas 117-115 in a double-overtime thriller at Coleman Coliseum. The Crimson Tide overcame significant deficits in both halves, rallying from 14 points down to force overtime and ultimately prevail. Alabama head coach Nate Oats praised his team's fight and depth, as the Tide used 10 players and outscored the Razorbacks in the paint and at the free throw line to offset Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr.'s 49-point performance.

Why it matters

This was a crucial SEC win for Alabama as they move into a tie for second place in the conference standings. The Crimson Tide showed their resilience and ability to win a close, high-scoring game against a ranked opponent, which could pay dividends come tournament time. The victory also gives Alabama the tiebreaker over Arkansas for seeding purposes.

The details

Alabama trailed by 14 points in both halves but chipped away at the deficit, going on a 15-2 run in the second half to tie the game at 77 and force overtime. The Crimson Tide were led by center Aiden Sherrell's 26 points and 13 rebounds, while guard Houston Mallette hit key 3-pointers in both overtime periods. Alabama was able to exploit Arkansas' foul trouble, drawing 10 fouls on Razorbacks guard Labaron Philon and outscoring them 23-0 at the free throw line.

  • Alabama trailed by 14 points with 12:30 left in the second half.
  • Alabama went on a 15-2 run in less than 4 minutes to tie the game at 77 and force overtime.

The players

Nate Oats

The head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide basketball team.

Aiden Sherrell

Alabama's 7-foot center who had 26 points and 13 rebounds, playing nearly 40 minutes.

Houston Mallette

Alabama guard who hit key 3-pointers in both overtime periods to help the Crimson Tide secure the victory.

Darius Acuff Jr.

Arkansas guard who scored 49 points in the losing effort, playing all 50 minutes of the double-overtime game.

Labaron Philon

Alabama guard who did a solid job defensively against Acuff and drew 10 fouls, helping Arkansas have to play two seldom-used players at the end of the game.

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What they’re saying

“To be down 14 in both halves and fight your way back, get to overtime. We've got plenty of end of game situations we've got to do better at.”

— Nate Oats, Head Coach, Alabama Crimson Tide

“Aiden Sherrell, 7-foot center, had to go 38 minutes tonight, give him a lot of credit, and our guys were disciplined, I thought, with not fouling.”

— Nate Oats, Head Coach, Alabama Crimson Tide

“When he gets that open three right there in front of the bench in the left corner I don't think anybody on our team wasn't fully confident that thing was hitting the bottom of the net.”

— Nate Oats, Head Coach, Alabama Crimson Tide

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This game showcased Alabama's depth, resilience and ability to win a close, high-scoring contest against a ranked opponent - all valuable traits as the Crimson Tide look to secure a strong seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.