3 takeaways from Alabama's thrilling double OT victory over Arkansas — and more

The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks on Wednesday night in double overtime by a final score of 117-115.

The Tide went back and fourth with the Razorbacks throughout the entire contest. Star Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. was credited with a career-high 35 points on 11-of-21 shooting, as the playmaker was nothing short of elite in both regulation and overtime.

The Tide entered the matchup in a near must-win situation against an elite SEC foe, as Alabama improved to 9-4 in conference play with the victory over Arkansas.

Here are three takeaways from Alabama’s thrilling victory over the Razorbacks.

Labaron Philon Jr. scores a career-high 35 points

Philon played a vital role throughout the entirety of Wednesday night’s contest. The talented playmaker recorded a career-high 35 points and seven assists in 41 minutes of play against Arkansas, as Philon came through in the clutch for the Tide on multiple possessions during both the first and second overtime period.

The star guard had one of his best games as a member of the Crimson Tide against the Razorbacks, as Philon continues to turn heads throughout the college basketball world on a nightly basis.

Aiden Sherell dominates offensive glass, records 26 points and 13 rebounds

Sherrell was nothing short of elite throughout the entirety of the matchup against the Razorbacks. The star big man recorded 26 points and 13 rebounds on an extremely efficient 10-of-13 from the field, as Sherrell continues to improve in the Alabama front court on a nightly basis.

Sherrell played a crucial role on both ends of the floor in the nail-biting victory over Arkansas, as the talented forward had one of the best games of his career at Alabama in similar fashion to Philon.

Amari Allen continues to thrive, records 19 points and 11 rebounds

Allen has been widely regarded as a top freshman in all of college basketball during the 2025-26 campaign. The talented forward was excellent on the offensive end of the floor against Arkansas, as Allen continues to play a vital role in the Tide’s starting lineup this season.

The star freshman, similar to Sherrell, finished with a double-double at 19 points and 11 rebounds, as Allen truly dominated on both ends of the floor against a shorthanded Razorbacks’ team.

Alabama will be back in action against the LSU Tigers on Saturday evening, as the Tide will look to go 10-4 in SEC play.

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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama basketball takeaways from overtime win vs. Arkansas Razorbacks

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Habib Beye reflects on his departure from Rennes

OM: "It's in the past," Habib Beye closes the Rennes chapter

This Thursday afternoon, Habib Beye was officially unveiled to the press. It was an opportunity for him to address several topics.

Recently appointed as OM’s new head coach, Habib Beye took the chance during his press conference to look back on his spell at Rennes. It was a challenging period that ended on a difficult note with his dismissal. But for the Senegalese tactician, it’s time to move on and focus solely on OM.

"It's in the past. Every experience is an opportunity to learn. There are no smooth journeys. What matters is the drive to reach even higher, to take on new challenges and overcome obstacles. The rest is behind me. What matters now is the present moment." he stated.

A few weeks ago, we took a much-needed break and watched that Duke Blue Devils-North Carolina Tar Heels basketball game, and we noticed something. Both sides tend to hire their own. Jon Scheyer was Mike Krzyzewski's successor. He also played for him. You never see UNC's basketball team hire anything but Tar Heels. That made us think about the Baltimore Ravens coaching staff. There are so many familiar faces, so many men we're already proud of.

Let's just start at the top. The head coach, Jesse Minter, was once part of John Harbaugh's staff (2017-20). Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver played here once (2002-05), as did special teams coordinator Anthony Levine.

Their hires felt like seeing family members return home. For Weaver, this is a third stint, as the opportunity to be this team's defensive coordinator almost came two years earlier.

He also coached under Harbaugh, serving in several roles: defensive line coach and run game coordinator (2021) and assistant head coach/defensive line coach (2022-23). In 2024, he interviewed for the then-vacant defensive coordinator position after Mike Macdonald's exit. Zach Orr was hired for the position, and Weaver left to join the Miami Dolphins, accepting the job title of DC under then-head coach Mike McDaniel.

Weaver was in Miami for two seasons. Yeah. He never looked right in aqua, orange, and marine blue. Black and purple suit him just fine, but to his credit, he never saw being passed over for the DC role in 2024 as a setback.

Anthony Weaver reframed a previous rejection by the Ravens as motivation.

Coach Weaver, head coach Jesse Minter, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, and special teams coordinator Anthony Levine met with the Baltimore media on Wednesday. The expected conversations were addressed: Doyle's age, his budding relationship with Lamar Jackson, and this reunion. Much is expected from this new Ravens coaching staff.

Weaver was asked about being passed over for the DC position in 2024. As expected, he offered a classy, motivating response. Pay attention. What he says is something we all can learn from.

"My reaction at that particular time wasn't much of a reaction at all. I think that'd probably be a question more suited for [former Ravens head coach] John [Harbaugh], who I love and respect, and I love [former Ravens defensive coordinator] Zach Orr. Shoot, I coached Zach in college, so it's not like when that hire happened, I was shocked because I have so much love and respect for Zach, too. So, it certainly made sense. Going to Miami was just an opportunity. It was an opportunity to go and show I can lead a defense again as a coordinator. So, I jumped at it, and I'm going to be honest, the no state taxes and being in sunny south Florida – that was a plus, too. But [I had] a lot of learning experiences [in Miami]. I thought we had a very connected group that flew around, played fast and physical with elite technique and fundamentals, and we'll try to recreate the same thing here but even better and try to step it up a notch. So, hopefully that answered your question."

It certainly did, Coach. That answered our question and a few others. We're feeling better about these hires with each passing day.

If this week proved anything, it's that culture still matters in Baltimore. This familiarity isn't just about nostalgia or getting the band back together. It's about shared standards, accountability, and men who already understand what winning is supposed to look like inside this building.

Coach Weaver didn't just come back with a more impressive and heavier resume. He returned with perspective, growth, and something to prove, and that mindset tends to spread quickly through a locker room.

Pair that with the leadership of Jesse Minter, the fresh offensive vision of Declan Doyle, and the emotional intelligence of Anthony Levine, and you start to see why optimism is building before a single snap has been played.

Now comes the challenge: turning comfort into results, belief into execution, and promise into postseason success. If they can do that while maximizing a roster led by Lamar Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens won't just feel like an ongoing family reunion. They'll feel dangerous.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Anthony Weaver turned past Ravens rejection into positive outlook