No. 1 Auburn has tasted defeat against a SEC foe for the first time this season. Arkansas bested Auburn, 80-76, in overtime on Tuesday. Entering the game, Arkansas had been 1-11 all-time against No. 1 teams, with the lone win coming on Feb. 12, 1984, in Pine Bluff versus a Michael Jordan-led North Carolina team.
Arkansas tied Tuesday’s game at 66 with a layup by Jaylin Williams. Auburn’s Wendell Green Jr. missed what would have been a game-winning shot with six seconds left, sending the game to overtime.
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Arkansas took the lead in overtime thanks to timely free throws by Williams, JD Notae and Chris Lykes. Auburn’s Jabari Smith kept the Tigers in the game, nailing two three-pointers in the final minute.
But the Tigers shooters fell cold down the stretch, dooming them to defeat and sending the fans rushing onto the court.
PARTY AT THE PALACE pic.twitter.com/26zUunBLX6
— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) February 9, 2022
Notae led the Razorbacks with 28 points. Williams managed a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Smith led Auburn in scoring with 20 points, followed by Green Jr. with 19. Walker Kessler finished with a double-double on 16 points and a whopping 19 boards.
The last time Arkansas faced a top-ranked team was against Kentucky in the 2015 SEC Tournament.
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Tuesday's loss marks Auburn’s second defeat of the season – its last loss coming in November against UConn.
It was also Auburn’s second straight nail-biter. Auburn escaped Georgia with a 74-72 win just three days earlier.
