Arkansas: 2026 Southeastern Men's Basketball Champions

 

NASHVILLE, TN. (KLRT) – The Arkansas men’s basketball team has clinched their first SEC Tournament Championship since 2000 with a win over Vanderbilt on Sunday.

A hot start for both teams in this game and a close game early on as by the first media timeout, Vanderbilt led 9-7 over Arkansas.

After the timeout, Trevon Brazile got the lead back for Arkansas with a clutch three-pointer to make it 10-9.

Billy Richmond extended that lead with a huge dunk and then a three-pointer to make it 15-11 Arkansas.

Richmond continued to have a dominant first half, with 7:53 left until halftime, he led the Hogs in scoring with 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and 2-of-2 from the perimeter.

Vanderbilt started to get hot again, and Duke Miles was able to tie the game up 28-28 with a three-pointer with 4:43 left to go in the first half.

Meleek Thomas hits right back with a three-pointer of his own and the Hogs get the lead back 31-28 with 3:42 until halftime.

It was a fast-paced wild end to the half with Darius Acuff Jr. hitting back-to-back clutch threes to give Arkansas the 41-39 lead heading into the break.

In the second half, Vanderbilt gets some momentum early on, thanks to some nice shots behind the arc from Tyler Nickel and Ak Okereke.

The Commodores then use a 6-0 run to take a 55-49 lead over Arkansas with 14:50 left to go in the game.

Basketball is truly a game of runs though, and Vanderbilt goes on a scoring drought for four minutes. In that span, the Razorbacks come back and take the lead 57-55 after DJ Wagner hit two corner threes.

The 11-0 run was capped off with a Darius Acuff three-pointer, and the Hogs were back in business against the Commodores as they had a 60-55 lead.

Vanderbilt uses the charity stripe to cut down on that lead, making four free throws, but Arkansas was still holding on to that lead.

With a championship on the line, the Commodores were fighting, and it was a true battle from beyond the arc with these two teams.

Vanderbilt’s Tyler Nickel hit a three to tie it up 66-66, but then Darius Acuff Jr. and DJ Wagner hit two back-to-back threes to give Arkansas the 72-68 lead once again with 5:09 left to go in the game.

Were you sick of reading about three-pointers? Well, two from Trevon Brazile give some breathing room for the Hogs down the stretch as they led 80-72 with 2:18 left to go.