FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — No. 15 Arkansas met no. 4 Alabama for the first top-15 matchup in Bud Walton arena since 1995. In a game with early SEC title implications, and against a very big lineup for the Tide, Eric Musselman decided to go with a bigger starting 5. MakhelMitchell started alongside his brother, Makhi, and replaced Ricky Council IV to bring a much larger presence to the post.
The strategy was a success for the most part, causing havoc for Alabama’s bigs and helping to penetrate the Tide’s zone defense. The Hogs kept up with the Tide for much of the game.