TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Trying to nail down an NCAA Tournament bid, Arkansas couldn’t afford to lose to struggling Alabama.

But the Razorbacks did.

In an often ugly game filled with missed shots and turnovers, Alabama made a few more plays and found a way to beat the Razorbacks 59-56 Wednesday night at Coleman Coliseum before an announced crowd of 9, 164 that looked to be considerably smaller.

Alabama (15-13, 4-9 SEC ) broke a four-game losing streak to Arkansas (18-9, 7-6 ), which lost its fourth consecutive SEC road game.

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“We can’t go any further down,” Razorbacks senior forward Sonny Weems said. “I think this is the worst game we’ve played this season.

“ We didn’t play with any intensity.”

Arkansas Coach John Pelphrey said he was surprised and disappointed by the Razorbacks’ performance.

“The play was just terrible on both ends of the floor,” Pelphrey said. “Very few bright spots.

“ Bizarre stuff took place out there I can’t even begin to explain.”

Stuff such as Arkansas shooting 36. 1 percent from the field, hitting 3 of 21 three-point attempts ? Going 9 of 16 from the free-throw line ? Having 16 turnovers compared with 11 assists and fouling 22 times ?

“Let’s just leave it at bizarre stuff,” Pelphrey said. “We’ve got to somehow rally.”

The Razorbacks return home to play No. 18 Vanderbilt on Saturday. The Commodores beat No. 1 Tennessee on Tuesday night.

“We’ve got two days to get ready for one of the hottest teams in the country,” Pelphrey said. “Somehow, some way, we’ve got to cut it loose and focus on what it takes to be a good basketball team, that at times we have been this year.”

Alabama sophomore forward Demetrius Jemison scored a career-high 19 points, including hitting two free throws with 9. 6 seconds left to give the Tide a 59-54 lead.

Weems, who along with senior forward Darian Townes scored 17 points to lead the Razorbacks, hit a layup with 3. 2 seconds left for the final margin.

The game was tied 43-43 with 8: 10 left when Razorbacks senior guard Gary Ervin hit a driving basket,

But Arkansas couldn’t take a lead the rest of the way, and Alabama moved ahead 49-43 with 4: 30 left after a tip-in basket by freshman forward Justin Knox and dunks by junior forward Richard Hendrix and freshman guard Senario Hillman.

Vincent Hunter’s three-point basket and Townes’ dunk pulled Arkansas within 49-48 at the 3: 35 mark, then Jemison hit a jumper and Rico Pickett grabbed a loose ball and dunked for a 53-48 lead.

Arkansas couldn’t get closer than three points the rest of the game.

“There’s nothing I’m happy with right now. Nothing,” Pelphrey said. “I didn’t think the focus and intensity was where it needed to be.”

Alabama shot 40. 7 percent from the field and 54. 2 percent from the free-throw line and matched Arkansas’ 16 turnovers, but Tide Coach Mark Gottfried wasn’t complaining.

“Sometimes when you win, you win ugly,” Gottfried said. “Well, tonight that ugly win was beautiful.”

Gottfried said Arkansas ’ struggles on offense had something to do with Alabama’s manto-man defense.

“I thought we defended them really well,” Gottfried said. “They didn’t get a lot of free looks. They had to earn their baskets.”

Ervin said the Razorbacks made it harder on themselves with poor shot selection.

“When you’re taking tough shots with people in your face constantly, it’s going to be tough to knock them down,” Ervin said. “We needed to swing the ball more on some possessions and get guys an open shot.”

Arkansas sophomore guard Patrick Beverley again struggled with his shooting, going 2 of 11 from the field and scoring 5 points after going 1 of 8 with a career-low 4 points in the Razorbacks’ 63-58 loss at Kentucky last Saturday.

“We can still get to the NCAA Tournament. We’ve just got to dig deep,” Weems said. “But we still think we can make it.

“ This loss hurts a lot. We should have won this game. We didn’t come out and play like we’re supposed to.”

Arkansas made the NCAA Tournament the past two years with late-season runs, including reaching the SEC Tournament final last year.

“Win, that’s all it boils down to,” Ervin said of the Razorbacks ’ NCAA Tournament hopes. “There’s no sugarcoating, no ifs, ands or buts.

“ It’s sad we’ve put ourselves in the same situation where we feel we’ve got to come out at the end of the season and win games.”

Pelphrey said getting the season back on track “starts with me” and that he has plenty of faith and resolve “it’s going to happen” for the Razorbacks.

But what does he mean is going to happen ?

“Play the way I want us to play,” Pelphrey said. “To play the way I think you should play at the University of Arkansas.” SEC standings EASTERN DIVISION

CONF ALL Tennessee........................... 11-2 25-3 Kentucky............................. 10-3 16-10 Vanderbilt............................. 9-4 24-4 Florida................................... 8-5 21-7 South Carolina..................... 4-9 12-15 Georgia............................... 3-10 12-14 WESTERN DIVISION

CONF ALL Mississippi State................ 10-3 19-8 Arkansas...................... 7-6 18-9 Mississippi........................... 4-9 18-9 Auburn................................. 4-9 14-12 Alabama............................... 4-9 15-13 LSU....................................... 4-9 11-16 WEDNESDAY’S GAMES Florida 77, Georgia 64 LSU 62, South Carolina 55 Alabama 59, Arkansas 56 Mississippi State 89, Auburn 78 Kentucky 58, Mississippi 54 SATURDAY’S GAMES Alabama at Mississippi, 1 p. m. Vanderbilt at Arkansas, 3 p. m. Mississippi State at Florida, 3 p. m. South Carolina at Auburn, 5 p. m. SUNDAY’S GAMES Kentucky at Tennessee, 11 a. m. Georgia at LSU, 1 p. m. TUESDAY, MARCH 4 Arkansas at Mississippi, 8 p. m. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5 Kentucky at South Carolina, 6 p. m. Georgia at Auburn, 7 p. m. Alabama at LSU, 7 p. m. Mississippi State at Vanderbilt, 7 p. m. Tennessee at Florida, 8 p. m.