After having a midweek break, No. 3 Alabama checked off another SEC road test with more significant stakes than initially anticipated.

Nate Oats said he caught the end of No. 1 Auburn's loss to No. 6 Florida in Alabama's locker room, the first time the top-ranked Tigers had lost since conference play started, just a week before the Iron Bowl of basketball. Halfway through Alabama’s first half, the No. 2 team also fell, as Duke lost in a high-scoring affair against Clemson.

Despite nearly blowing an 18-point lead late in the battle, Alabama staked its claim to become the new No. 1 team in the country, defeating Arkansas 85-81.

Before we move on to Tuesday night's matchup between Alabama and Texas, here are five key numbers that defined the Tide’s win over the Razorbacks.

35 - Despite winning a rebound battle by +3, the Crimson Tide grabbed a season-low 35 total boards against the Razorbacks. Jarin Stevenson grabbed five, while Grant Nelson, Aden Holloway and Mouhamed Dioubate had four each.

5 - Alabama managed to convert just five 3-point attempts against Arkansas, matching their lowest mark of the season. The Crimson Tide hit this low in a 74-64 loss to No. 21 Mississippi earlier in the year.

After the game, Alabama head coach Nate Oates discussed the importance of scoring in various ways, also crediting some individual performances from his players. Alabama scored 56 of its 85 points in the paint.

“When our threes aren’t dropping, it’s good to know we can score in the paint,” Oats said. “I thought Dioubate gave us a huge lift. You look, he plays 15 minutes, has 14 points, doesn’t take a three. He’s 7-of-9 from the floor. They’re all right there at the rim. His physicality caused them some problems. You look at Cliff kind of came alive there on some plays there in the second half. We got to find him a little bit more. Grant scores 15. Five at the free-throw line. The other 10 are all at the rim.”

12 - The Razorbacks went on a late 12-0 run with just under six and a half minutes remaining, trimming an 18-point deficit to just two at a point before the final buzzer rang. Zvonimir Ivisic free throw cut the lead to two before Alabama’s Chris Youngblood secured the game at the free throw line.

“We gotta do a better job closing,” said Oats. We risked losing a road game that we were supposed to win by not closing that thing like we were supposed to. So, a lot of credit to them.”

71 - Following the victory, and with earlier losses from No. 1 Auburn and No. 2 Duke, Alabama now has the second-highest percentage chance nationwide on teamrankings.com of securing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament of 71%. Alabama’s now No. 2 ranked chance has risen from 69% at the beginning of the week.

Oats said he doesn’t care about Alabama’s ranking and is focused on what's ahead for his team.

“We gotta just take care of business,” Oats said “We’ve got full control of our own destiny to win the SEC right now. Wherever the voters want to put us, it doesn’t matter. I mean, we’ll be one, two or three, that’s for sure. And I don’t really car.e”

7 - Tied with four other schools, Alabama now boasts a nation-high seven road wins. The Crimson Tide can now add Bud Walton Arena to an impressive list of overthrown venues, including Rupp Arena, Reed Arena and the Dean E. Smith Center.