Nelson and Youngblood score 15 each and No. 3 Alabama holds off Arkansas 85-81
Alabama guard Mark Sears, front right, drives past Arkansas forward Karter Knox, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Fayetteville, Ark. Credit: AP/Michael Woods
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Grant Nelson and Chris Youngblood each scored 15 points and No. 3 Alabama held off a late Arkansas run to deal the Razorbacks' NCAA Tournament hopes a serious blow with an 85-81 win on Saturday night.
Mouhamed Dioubate scored 14 and Mark Sears added 11 as the Crimson Tide (20-3, 9-1 Southeastern Conference) won their sixth in a row.
Zvonimir Ivisic scored 27 points, while Adou Thiero added 22 and Johnell Davis chipped in 13 to lead the Razorbacks (14-9, 3-7).
Alabama led by 18 with 6:29 left but Arkansas went on a 13-2 run that helped cut the lead to two with less than a minute to play. But Nelson hit a 3-pointer to restore the Tide’s two-possession lead.
Ivisic made one of two free throws to make it 83-81, but Youngblood hit a pair of free throws in the final four seconds.
Takeaways
Alabama may have stumbled in the waning minutes, but its balance and overall showing was more than enough to support the team’s place in the top five. With losses Saturday by No. 1 Auburn and No. 2 Duke, Alabama's road to the top is clear.
Arkansas had beaten Kentucky, coach John Calipari’s previous team, and Texas, the Razorbacks’ oldest rival, to claw onto the NCAA Tournament bubble before Saturday’s loss.
Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) drives past Arkansas guard D.J. Wagner, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Fayetteville, Ark. Credit: AP/Michael Woods
Key stat
Alabama simply made shots at a higher clip, 55% to Arkansas’ 43%. The Tide also got 31 bench points to the Razorbacks’ 11.
Up next
Alabama travels to Texas on Tuesday night.
Arkansas hosts LSU on Wednesday night.
