Late runs sparks Arkansas over Vanderbilt in SEC final

Field Level Media|published: Sun 15th March, 15:47 2026

NCAA Basketball: SEC Conference Tournament Championship

Mar 15, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) drives to the basket defended by Vanderbilt Commodores guard Chandler Bing (7) in the first half during the men's SEC Conference Tournament Championship at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

NASHVILLE -- Tournament Most Valuable Player Darius Acuff Jr. scored 30 points and dished out 11 assists, leading 17th-ranked Arkansas to an 86-75 win over No. 22 Vanderbilt in the Southeastern Conference tournament final on Sunday.

The third-seeded Razorbacks hit 62.5% of their 3-pointers (15 of 24) with five players making shots from beyond the arc.

Trevon Brazile (16 points) was 4 of 5 on 3s, two of those coming on back-to-back possessions just after fourth-seeded Vanderbilt took a two-point lead with 3:41 remaining, and added nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals.

Brazile also delivered a fastbreak dunk at the end of a 14-0 run that iced the game.

Billy Richmond III chipped in 18 points for Arkansas (26-8).

Duke Miles (19 points, nine assists, four steals) led the Commodores (26-8), who lost both their meetings with Arkansas this season by double digits.

The Commodores' Tyler Nickel broke out of a shooting slump, hitting 5 of 7 3-point attempts and scoring 19 points.

Tyler Tanner had 15 points, but was 3 of 15 from the field and had just one assist.

Tanner hit two free throws with 6:59 left as the Commodores went into the bonus.

Nickel snapped a field-goal drought that lasted nearly eight minutes with a corner 3, tying the game at 66 with 6:40 remaining.

But Arkansas sandwiched a Tanner layup with second-chance 3s by Acuff and D.J. Wagner on its next two trips.

Miles put Vandy ahead at the 3:41 mark but Brazile buried 3s with 3:13 and 2:18 remaining.

Jalen Washington got a putback of a Miles miss, giving Vanderbilt its biggest lead of the day to that point at 55-49.

The Commodores then missed their next seven shots from the field as Arkansas went on an 11-0 run that spanned 3:03.

Arkansas led 41-39 at the end of a first half that ended at a dizzying pace.

The Razorbacks led by seven but Miles hit three layups in a span of 1:06, the last one putting Vanderbilt up two for the first time since early in the first half.

Acuff hit a pair of 3s in the final 49 seconds to help Arkansas keep the lead.

Richmond III led all scorers with 14 first-half points.

Miles and Tanner both made the all-tournament team.

--Chris Lee, Field Level Media