No. 7 Alabama gymnastics (6-4, 3-3 SEC) defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks 198.075-196.00 (2-7, 0-7) in Coleman Coliseum Friday night. This is the first 198.00-plus total for the team since the 2001 NCAA Regional and the first under head coach Dana Duckworth. 

Duckworth said she found the most joy seeing her team put everything they had into everything they did, even more so than the historic scores. 

“You can have fun when you’re prepared and when you have put in the work and put in the time,” Duckworth said. “When they’re just in their Bama bubble and they’re just doing their thing, that’s when we’ve always been at our best.” 

The night began with a celebration of Big Al’s birthday and a tribute to seniors Emily Gaskins, Griffin James, Sania Mitchell, Shallon Olsen, Kaylee Quinn and graduate student Lexi Graber. 

The smiles and emotions would continue throughout the evening for an electric Coleman Coliseum. 

Olsen led off the night on vault with a 9.90. The fans in Coleman Coliseum erupted when Olsen stuck the landing.

The Razorbacks made mistakes early on with two errors on the uneven bars in back-to-back routines. The Razorbacks regained their composure, following the falls with a 9.90 and 9.875 from seniors Kennedy Hambrick and Maggie O’Hara. 

On a night all about the veterans, freshman Jordyn Paradise was the individual vault winner, scoring a career best 9.95. 

Gaskins started on the uneven bars for the Crimson Tide, scoring a season best 9.90. Gaskins held her salute just a little while longer, soaking in the last standing ovation in front of the Alabama student section. 

Alabama scored a season high on uneven bars, winning the event 49.650-48.825.

Arkansas senior Amanda Elswick ended the meet for the Razorbacks with a 9.950 on beam, The balance beam was also the Razorbacks’ best event of the night, finishing with a 49.275. 

Alabama continued its strong senior-night performance on the floor exercise. Graber — the All-American from Cape Coral, Florida — took the floor for the final time in Coleman Coliseum, putting the finishing touches on a storybook night for the Crimson Tide senior class. 

“I was doing it for my girls,” Graber said. “I was doing it for the four-year-old version of me and for Coleman.” 

The 2021 NCAA floor exercise champion scored a 9.975 Friday night, tying her season best. Graber’s score pushed the Crimson Tide final score to a 49.700 on the floor exercise for the first time since 2001, tying the program record.

Mitchell’s high-flying floor performance was matched by the height of her celebration after she posted a career-high 9.95. After the score was announced, Mitchell embraced her teammates. 

“Having the whole crowd screaming and cheering for you and your teammates besides you, there’s nothing like it,” Mitchell said. 

Alabama won the floor exercise 49.700-48.750. 

Junior Luisa Blanco won the all-around competition Friday night, scoring a 39.625. This is the fourth time this season Blanco has won the all-around title. Blanco also scored a 9.975 on the uneven bars and won the event title. 

Alabama finishes the 2022 home schedule with an unblemished 6-0 record. 

Both teams will compete in their final regular-season meet on Sunday, March 6, at Elevate the Stage in Huntsville along with the Auburn Tigers and the Georgia Gymdogs. First vault is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on FloGymnastics.