Macon, Barford lead Arkansas past No. 19 Tennessee in OT

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP)   Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford combined for 61 points and Arkansas rallied from a nine-point second-half deficit to open Southeastern Conference play with a 95-93 overtime victory over No. 19 Tennessee on Saturday.

The win is the sixth straight for the Razorbacks (11-2, 1-0), and it all but assures the school of its first national ranking in nearly three years. Arkansas was last ranked near the end of the 2014-15 season, and it’s been 26th in each of the last two weeks in The Associated Press poll.

Macon finished with a career-high 33 points and Barford had a career-best 28 for the Razorbacks, who trailed by nine points with less than 7 minutes remaining in regulation. The seniors then scored Arkansas’ first 13 points in overtime.

Jordan Bone scored 21 points to lead the Volunteers (9-3, 0-1) and James Daniel III had 17. Admiral Schofield added 16 points before fouling out, while Grant Williams had 12 and Lamonte Turner 10 in the loss.

Arkansas trailed for much of the game but took its first lead at 73-72 in the final minute of regulation on a dunk by freshman Daniel Gafford.

Bone hit one of two free throws with 18.8 seconds left to tie the game at 73-73 for Tennessee, and Macon missed on a 3-point attempt at the buzzer that sent the game to overtime.

The Razorbacks led by as many as 12 points in the extra period before holding on in the closing minute.

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