In game one of session three of the 2023 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, Arkansas and Auburn met at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday night. Arkansas came into the guy with Auburn with a chip on their backs after losing to Kentucky on Saturday at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas played a complete game on Thursday night, fending off the Auburn Tigers and earning a massive win to solidify the Razorbacks as an at-large team in the NCAA Tournament.

Auburn would have spurts on Thursday night where the Tigers would make a run at Arkansas, but the Razorbacks were too much for Auburn on Thursday night. If it weren’t for K.D. Johnson, Auburn would not have had a chance on Thursday night. Johnson had a monster game for the Tigers and led the way for Auburn against the Razorbacks.

At the under-8 media timeout, Auburn was starting to make things pesky for the Razorbacks, but Arkansas held the line and carried a 66-60 lead with 6:42 remaining in the game. Arkansas would hang on to win 76-73 over the Auburn Tigers.

Anthony Black led the way in scoring for the Razorbacks with 19 points.

With the win over Auburn, Arkansas will now play Texas A&M in the first game of session five on Friday night at Bridgestone Arena. Arkansas and Texas A&M split in the regular season, with both winning at home. Friday night in Nashville, Tennessee, will likely feel like a home game for the Razorbacks as Arkansas fans have taken over Bridgestone Arena. In the game against Auburn, Arkansas fans were so loud with the calling of the hogs that, at times, it sounded like Bridgestone Arena was Bud Walton Arena. Without a doubt, Arkansas fed off their crowd on Thursday night against Auburn; they will do the same on Friday night when the Razorbacks and Aggies play.

Arkansas and Texas A&M will have the 6:00 tip-off on Friday night.