MBB SEC Tourney Preview: Arkansas vs South Carolina

March 11, 2025

Who: Arkansas Razorbacks (19-12, 8-10 SEC) vs South Carolina Gamecocks (12-19, 2-16 SEC)
What: Arkansas faced South Carolina 11 days ago (Mar. 1) and faced the Gamecocks in last year’s SEC Tourney.
When: Wednesday – Mar. 12 – Noon (CT)
Where: Nashville, Tenn. – Bridgestone Arena (19,395)
How (to follow):
– TV/Stream: SEC Network / Watch ESPN APP (Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas, Jess Simms)
– Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
– Sirius/XM – SEC Broadcast: Sirius: 106 / XM: 190 || SXM App Channel 960

– Arkansas Gameday App
– Live Stats

– Arkansas Game Notes
– South Carolina Game Notes
– SEC Notes/Stats
– SEC Tournament Bracket

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Thanks to winning four of its last five games, Arkansas climbed to the #9 seed for this year’s SEC Tournament and will face #16 seed South Carolina in the first round on Wednesday (Mar. 12). Tipoff in Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena is set for Noon (CT) and the game will be televised on SEC Network.

Arkansas and South Carolina met a week and a half ago (Mar. 1) in Columbia, S.C. The Gamecocks won 72-53. In last year’s SEC Tournament, South Carolina ended the Razorbacks season with an 80-66 victory over the Hogs in the second round of the SEC Tournament.

The Arkansas-South Carolina winner will face #8 seed Ole Miss on Thursday at Noon, also on the SEC Network.

NOTES:

Arkansas is 31-31 at the SEC Tourney. The Razorbacks won the tournament in 2020 and was runner-up in 1995, 1999, 2007, 2008, 2015 and 2017.
Arkansas is 11-11 in Bridgestone Arena for the SEC Tournament.
John Calipari is 24-8 (75%) in the SEC Tourney. He won SEC Tournament titles in 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 while leading his team to runner-up finishes in 2012 and 2014.
For his career, Coach Calipari is 58-16 (78.4%) in conference tourneys as head coach.
Arkansas and South Carolina have met on 41 previous occasions, all coming since the Gamecocks and Razorbacks joined the SEC (1991-92).
Arkansas owns a 23-18 advantage in the series but the series is tied, 3-3, in games played at the SEC Tournament.
South Carolina has won three straight in the series, one win in Fayetteville, one in the SEC Tournament and one in Columbia.
In the teams’ previous meeting this year, Arkansas was down big early and never recovered in a 72-53 loss at South Carolina in an early afternoon tipoff. The Razorbacks were down 32-14 at the break and were only 3-of-24 from the field. Overall, Arkansas missed its first 17 3-point attempts and finished the game 3-of-22 from deep. Arkansas, down 35 (64-29) with 6:03 left in the game, closed the game on a 22-6 run, using a 15-2 run with a 13-0 spurt, and were only out-scored by one, 40-39, in the period. South Carolina was led by Collin Murray-Boyles with 35 points, the 2nd-most by an opponent this year. He was 12-of-16 FG and 11-of-12 FT with seven rebounds and four steals. Karter Knox, who was 6-of-6 at the line, led Arkansas with 11 points and a career-high five assists. Jonas Aidoo finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
After a 1-6 January. Arkansas went 5-3 in February and is 2-1 in March. Three of the February losses came to top 10 opponents, two were back-to-back road games. Also, those 3 losses were in a 4-game span to #3 Alabama (85-81), at #8 Texas A&M (69-61) and at #1 Auburn (67-60). Arkansas had a road win at then #12 Kentucky, a home win over then #15 Missouri, home win vs then #25 Miss State as well as a sweep of Texas.
Arkansas has shot over 50% from the field in each of the last two games and Arkansas scored over 90 points each game. At Vandy, Arkansas shot 50.8% (33-of-65) from the field and was 8-of-24 (33.35) from 3-point. The Hogs scored 90. Versus Miss State, Arkansas shot 55.4% (31-of-56) from the field, was 9-of-21 (42.9%) from 3-point. The Hogs scored 93.
Arkansas has shot at least 50% from the field in 3 of the last 5 games and 5 of the last 11. Arkansas is 12-0 this year when shooting at least 50% from the field.
In its four wins over the final five games, Arkansas is shooting 32-of-80 (40%) from 3-point. Arkansas is 9-1 this year when shooting at least 40% from the 3-point.
Arkansas ranks 180th in the NCAA (11th SEC) in rebounding (35.26) and 189th (12th SEC) in rebound margin (+0.7). However, Arkansas out-rebounded Vandy, 42-31, and Mississippi State, 41-29. The 42 boards were the most by the Hogs in an SEC game this year (third-most of the season). Arkansas out-rebounded Vandy, 22-10, in the second half. The 41 boards versus Miss State were the 2nd-most by the Hogs in an SEC game this year (fourth-most of the season). Arkansas 13-1 when out-rebounding its opponent this season.

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