What Stood Out: Heartbreak for Hogs at Bama

Arkansas men’s basketball battled but ultimately fell short in a 92-88 overtime heartbreaker at No. 16 Alabama on Saturday.

The Razorbacks led for nearly 39 minutes and never trailed in regulation, but the Crimson Tide erased a six-point deficit in the final 61 seconds and held off the Hogs in the extra period.

“We look like a better basketball team although we didn’t win,” Eric Musselman said. “It’s a tough environment. Alabama has only lost two games on the year, and one of them was a long time ago against Clemson.

“Really talented team, a team that is Final Four caliber talent-wise. We controlled the game for 38 minutes. Played good but not good enough to beat Alabama on their home floor.”

Here are five things that stood out from Saturday’s thriller at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa:

1.) Non-call on Makhi Mitchell proved costly

In a 45-minute basketball game, there is no way to pinpoint the outcome on one play, but it is hard to argue the impact of the officials swallowing the whistle with 34 seconds to play.

Arkansas led by three points and Makhi Mitchell was soaring above the rim with an opportunity to put the game on ice with a dunk but missed after being clearly fouled by Alabama’s Nick Pringle.

The Crimson Tide responded with a game-tying triple on the other end that forced overtime.

“I felt like Khi got fouled,” said redshirt sophomore forward Trevon Brazile. “That was a big point in the game. When that was a no-call, that killed us it felt like.”

2.) Poor execution on final play of regulation

Despite that backbreaking non-call and subsequent three-pointer that tied the game, Arkansas had a golden opportunity to win the game outright in regulation with possession and 21 seconds remaining.

The Razorbacks got the ball into the hands of Khalif Battle and cleared out for its best player, but rather than getting downhill and potentially drawing contact, he opted for a side-step three-pointer that was off the mark.

“There was no need for the three,” Musselman said. “He made a read, and you live with that as a coach. Don’t want to put the blame on any shot or one play.

“We got the ball in the guy’s hands we wanted. Running the clock down. He was 11 of 11 from the foul line, so certainly would have prefered a dribble-drive to see if we could score in Zone 1.

“Having said that we had a dunk that didn’t go down, and defensively we had a couple catch-and-shoot threes without making them floor the ball.”

3.) Encouraging signs from Trevon Brazile

The 6-10 forward has looked like a shell of himself for a couple months now, especially since returning from a lengthy absence due to knee soreness, but Saturday’s showing against Alabama was very promising.

Brazile finished with 12 points on 6 of 12 shooting with six rebounds and a pair of blocks. The shot volume was encouraging, although the three wasn’t falling, as was his aggressiveness on the offensive glass.

For a majority of the game, he more than held his own in his matchup against Bama forward Grant Nelson.

“Thought he played well,” Musselman said. “He was really good on the glass with five O-boards. Thought he did a good job. Had two shots blocked and got to play 30 minutes. He played a really good game for us.”

4.) Hogs burned by ‘the other guys’

For the most part, Arkansas did a solid job of containing Alabama’s three-headed monster of Mark Sears, Grant Nelson and Aaron Estrada.

The trio entered play averaging a combined 46.4 points per game and finished Saturday’s overtime contest with 46. So, no real explosions.

However, it was 30 points out of the Latrell Wrightsell-Sam Walters duo that made the difference.

Wrightsell’s three with 21 seconds left in regulation forced overtime and he hit another big jumper in the final 30 seconds of the free period to cap off his 20-point outing.

“He’s a great three-point shooter,” Musselman said. “It was a great signing by Alabama as a transfer who can make shots coming from Cal State Fullerton.

“He’s a guy that shoots it with confidence, and he made two that were really, really clutch for them.”

Walters scored seven of Alabama’s points in overtime, including a critical three-pointer and an offensive rebound and stick back late.

“He didn’t surprise us,” Musselman said. “We’re supposed to make him floor the basketball. He shot the ball on a catch-and-shoot and it was a crucial play in the game.

“We talked about him. We knew he was a guy who could knock down shots and play with energy.”

5.) Hogs have rotation for Nashville

Arkansas’ starting lineup and rotation have been a revolving door all season, but it seems Musselman has found the right formula down the stretch.

The Razorbacks started Khalif Battle, El Ellis, Tramon Mark, Trevon Brazile and Chandler Lawson for the fourth consecutive game with Makhi Mitchell, Jeremiah Davenport and Devo Davis earning solid minutes off the bench.

“I think the rotation has done a great job,” Musselman said. “At times we had injuries, and we were searching all year.

“I do think the last month we’ve settled on a group that’s done a really good job and competed.”