No. 3 Alabama held off a late rally to walk away from Bud Walton Arena with an 85-80 win over Arkansas on Saturday, marking its sixth consecutive win in SEC play. This victory, coupled with Auburn’s 90-81 loss to Florida and Duke’s 77-71 defeat against Clemson, positions Alabama to potentially claim the No. 1 ranking in the major polls when they are updated.

Alabama Receives National Attention

The Crimson Tide’s win put them in a tie atop the SEC standings at 9-1 with Auburn, setting the stage for an impending showdown between these two teams. In the match against the Razorbacks, Alabama’s Grant Nelson and Chris Youngblood both scored 15 points, showcasing a balanced scoring effort as six players contributed at least eight points.

Arkansas, aiming to tie the game in the closing moments, faced a strategic foul from Alabama that thwarted their opportunity.

Looking Ahead

Regardless of how the rankings shape up on Monday, the victor of next weekend’s Alabama vs. Auburn game is likely to emerge as the top-ranked team later this month.