FAYETTEVILLE — At times Saturday, the Arkansas Razorbacks looked like a solid NCAA Tournament team — again.

Like the guys who beat Mississippi State by 20 and Florida by 19.

Remember that group of guys who hustled, especially on defense, and seemed poised during a four-game run to be ready to pop into the Top 25 ? The ones primed to put all the fear and trepidation of the past five years to bed forever.

Then the Razorbacks of the past showed up and lost four of the next five and came into Saturday’s game in deep need of a quality victory to keep the NCAA Tournament dream alive.

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At the half, leading by only four after being up by 12, no one knew what the second half would hold for the Hogs and their ever-faithful fans at Bud Walton Arena, but it was obvious that if they didn’t start taking advantage of free throws it would be a long day.

They have struggled to put good halves together most of this season, which was reason enough for concern at halftime against a talented, tough team like Vanderbilt, confident coming off its victory over No. 1 Tennessee.

Yet, the Razorbacks stared down every challenge and even made their final eight free throws — six by Sonny Weems — to defeat No. 18 Vanderbilt, 78-71.

At times Arkansas appeared ready to run Vanderbilt out the door and onto the Commodores’ bus in the early going.

Yet this Razorbacks team can be as up and down as the stock market.

With 3: 01 to play in the first half, Townes converted a threepoint play and the Hogs led 40-28.

They would not score again, missing two shots and suffering a turnover, while the visitors ran off eight points to make it 40-36 with lots of time to play.

John Pelphrey and Kevin Stallings came out of the locker room with the same idea for the second half: Pound it in the paint.

After combining for 11 of 16 on three-point shooting, it was obvious the teams wanted to go inside more.

The first six field goals were down low, then Shan Foster, who put on a shooting clinic in the second half, hit a three with 15: 07 to play to make it 47-45 and the Razorbacks were caught up in turnovers and poor shot selection.

With 13: 15 to play Foster buried another three to put the Commodores up 48-47, and the Hogs were colder than late fall in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Stefan Welsh cracked the ice with a driving floater and Townes made a steal, but he also was called for an offensive foul — never to be confused with a smart or good foul — that gave Vanderbilt possession again, and it cashed in on a three point play for a 51-49 lead with 11: 43 to play.

One thing was obvious. The Hogs were not suffering an Alabama hangover.

Through second effort, Vanderbilt scored off an offensive rebound, Arkansas was called for a charge, and at the 10-minute mark the four-point deficit was looming large. Arkansas struggled until Weems, the go-to guy, hit a three from the left corner to make it 53-52 with 9: 09 to play.

The Hog call brought the crowd to its feet, and after Vandy was hit with a double dribble the crowd got loud.

Steven Hill deflected a pass and Gary Ervin got a layup to regain the lead, then the Commodores missed a baseline shot and the ball went out of bounds off the visitors. Suddenly, Bud Walton was on its feet again.

This team may be impossible to figure, but their fans, 18, 366 Saturday, aren’t. They are almost always there when needed the most.

Another Hog miss and a foul had Vanderbilt at the line with a 1-and-1, and Ross Neltner converted for the lead with 7: 38 to play.

Charles Thomas hit an outside jumper, and then Townes scored inside after Vanderbilt’s 14 th turnover. The lead changed hands four times until Patrick Beverley found the range, and his 3 threepointers shot the Hogs to a 69-63 lead. Arkansas then knocked down eight free throws in the final 29. 8 seconds to seal the victory.

What happens now, with two regular-season games left, is totally up to the players. If they play like they did Saturday, they will be in the NCAA Tournament.

Play like they did against Alabama, and Pelphrey will have a difficult decision to make. Do they really want to play in the NIT ?