With Late Run, Arkansas Claims SEC Tournament Crown

The Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball captured the 2026 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament championship on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Vanderbilt Commodores men's basketball 86–75 after pulling away in the closing minutes of a tightly contested game.

No. 3 seeded Arkansas (26–8, 13–5 SEC) and No. 4 seeded Vanderbilt (26–8, 11–7 SEC) traded momentum throughout much of the afternoon before the Razorbacks created separation late. The victory secured Arkansas’ second SEC Tournament championship in program history and its first since 2000.

The Razorbacks sealed the win with a decisive 14–2 run in the final minutes. With 3:41 remaining, Arkansas held a slim 74–72 lead after a basket by Vanderbilt senior guard Duke Miles. Arkansas then responded with a 12–0 surge that extended the lead to 86–72, highlighted by a fast break dunk from senior forward Trevon Brazile with 41 seconds left.

Miles connected on a three pointer with 28 seconds remaining to make it 86–75, but the result was no longer in doubt. Arkansas held possession and allowed the final seconds to run off the clock, securing the championship.

A Back-and-Forth Opening Half

Vanderbilt won the opening tip, but Tanner missed a layup. Arkansas struck first when Trevon Brazile hit a corner three, and Billy Richmond followed with a layup after a Duke Miles miss to give the Razorbacks a 5–0 lead.

Vanderbilt responded when McGlockton scored through contact after a foul by Nick Pringle, completing a three point play. Miles then drilled a step back three after a Darius Acuff miss to put Vanderbilt ahead, but Meleek Thomas answered 11 seconds later with a jumper to give Arkansas a 7–6 edge.

After several empty possessions and an Acuff turnover, Tyler Nickel hit a three on a pass from Okereke to make it 9–7. Okereke later threw the ball out of bounds, sending the game to the under 16 media timeout.

Out of the break, Acuff found Brazile for another open three to restore Arkansas’ lead at 10–9. Both teams then traded turnovers before Richmond dunked after a Miles miss. Jalen Washington answered with a tough layup for Vanderbilt, but Richmond responded with a three off an Acuff assist to push Arkansas ahead 15–11.

Scoring slowed for both teams heading into the next media timeout. Arkansas held the 15–11 lead, while Vanderbilt had the edge in offensive rebounds but only a small advantage in second chance points.

Acuff later made two free throws after drawing a foul on a jump shot. Okereke answered with a layup from Miles, and the teams traded baskets before Nickel scored on a layup after a McGlockton block to cut the lead to 19–17.

Richmond then sparked a 5–0 run of his own, helping Arkansas extend its lead to 24–17 at the under eight timeout. By that point the Razorbacks had outscored Vanderbilt 17–8 since the first media break, despite trailing in turnovers and offensive rebounds. Richmond led Arkansas with 12 points on 5 of 6 shooting, including two three pointers.

Vanderbilt quickly closed the gap when Nickel scored six straight points with back to back threes, cutting the lead to 24–23 and prompting Arkansas coach John Calipari to call a timeout.

Arkansas then endured a scoring drought of nearly two and a half minutes before Wagner ended it with two free throws. Tanner and Acuff traded baskets inside before Miles and Thomas exchanged threes to make it 31–28 at the under four minute timeout.

At that stage Arkansas had shot 11 of 21 from the field and 5 of 7 from three. Vanderbilt was 11 of 31 overall and 5 of 11 from deep. The Commodores led the turnover battle 6–1, while Arkansas held an 18–12 edge in rebounds.

Thomas later made two free throws to extend the lead to 33–28, but Vanderbilt responded with a 7–0 run to take its first lead since early in the game at 35–33.

The teams then traded impressive shots late in the half. Acuff hit a difficult three from the corner to give Arkansas a 38–37 lead. Nickel answered with a turnaround jumper with 24 seconds remaining.

Acuff responded again in the final seconds, drilling a pull up three from the top of the key to give Arkansas a 41–39 halftime lead.

Second Half Momentum Swings

Early in the second half, Darius Acuff was fouled hard by McGlockton on a backdoor cut. Officials upgraded the play to a Flagrant 1. Acuff split the free throws and Arkansas kept possession, though Nick Pringle later missed both free throws after drawing a foul on the inbound.

McGlockton answered with a layup for Vanderbilt, but Acuff responded with a step back three to give Arkansas a 45–41 lead.

Tanner made two free throws, and after Acuff missed a deep three, Okereke hit an open three for Vanderbilt. Malique Ewin followed with a second chance tip in for Arkansas, but Tyler Nickel stayed hot with another three.

Trevon Brazile then stole the ball from McGlockton, leading to two Acuff free throws that tied the game at 49. Duke Miles answered with two free throws and then assisted Bing for a layup, pushing Vanderbilt ahead 53–49. Washington added a putback basket to cap a 6–0 run and extend the Commodores’ lead to 55–49.

Arkansas quickly responded. Acuff scored on a tough layup, Pringle blocked Tanner at the other end, and DJ Wagner hit a corner three to cut the deficit to one. After Vanderbilt missed five straight shots, Arkansas took control. Back to back three pointers from Wagner and Acuff capped an 11–0 run and gave the Razorbacks a 60–55 lead at the under 12 media timeout.

Okereke ended the drought with two free throws, and Tanner later added two more to cut the deficit to 60–59.

Brazile answered with a contested layup before Pringle fouled Washington on another play ruled a Flagrant 1. Washington made both free throws, but Vanderbilt turned the ball over on a shot clock violation on the next possession.

Wagner then found Billy Richmond driving for a layup over Nickel, pushing Arkansas ahead 64–61 heading into the next media timeout.

Arkansas Pulls Away Late

Richmond scored on a dunk off a pass from Acuff before Tanner made two free throws. Nickel tied the game with a three pointer on the next possession.

Acuff responded with a critical three to give Arkansas a 69–66 lead. Tanner converted a runner, Wagner hit another three from a Richmond assist, and Tanner made two free throws before Acuff and Miles traded jumpers to set the score at 74–72 at the final media timeout.

Acuff had scored 28 points at that point, including 16 in the second half. Vanderbilt had attempted 14 free throws in the half compared with six for Arkansas.

Out of the timeout, Acuff found Brazile for an open three pointer to extend the lead to 77–72. That basket sparked the decisive run. Brazile added another three and later blocked a shot by Tanner, which led to a layup by Ewin.

Acuff then made two free throws to extend the lead to 84–72. Brazile followed with a steal from Okereke and a dunk that made the score 86–72.

Miles hit one more three for Vanderbilt, but Arkansas held possession until the final buzzer to secure the SEC Tournament championship.

Standout Performances

Freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. delivered a standout performance for the Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball, scoring 30 points on 9 of 20 shooting, including 5 of 8 from three point range.

Senior forward Trevon Brazile proved decisive in the closing minutes. With Arkansas holding a narrow 74 to 72 lead, Brazile hit consecutive three pointers and blocked a shot by Jalen Washington, a play that led to a layup by Malique Ewin.

The sequence pushed the lead to 82 to 72 before Acuff added two free throws. Brazile then stole the ball from Okereke and finished with a dunk to extend the margin to 86 to 72.

Arkansas placed four players in double figures. Acuff finished with 30 points and a team high 11 assists, while sophomore forward Billy Richmond added 18 points on 8 of 13 shooting, including 2 of 4 from three point range.

For Vanderbilt, senior guards Tyler Nickel and Duke Miles each scored 19 points. Nickel shot 7 of 12 from the field and 5 of 7 from three point range, while Miles finished 7 of 14 from the floor and 3 of 6 from beyond the arc.

Arkansas shot 30 of 58 from the field, a 51.7 percent mark, and 15 of 24 from three point range. Vanderbilt shot 25 of 66 overall and 10 of 24 from long distance.

Arkansas also held a 36–34 rebounding edge, scored 15 bench points compared with Vanderbilt’s 10, and recorded 21 assists to Vanderbilt’s 14.

Calipari Reflects on the Win

After the game, Arkansas coach John Calipari praised several players for their contributions.

“We’re doing it for Arkansas,” Calipari said. “But me, I’m so proud of DJ Wagner. What he did, the last rebound he got, the threes he hit, how he defended, the energy he brought. I am so happy for Nick Pringle and what he did, because Malique Ewin did not play well.

“All of a sudden I’m proud of him because it’s the first time he started that way. In the last five minutes, the reason we won was Malique Ewin. Then you have Meleek Thomas. I went down on the bench because I wasn’t going to put him back in, not because of him but because of what was happening on the court.”

It is Calipari’s seventh SEC Tournament title as a head coach.

Arkansas has now secured a place in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament and will face the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors men's basketball, the No. 13 seed, in the Round of 64 on Thursday.