FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas didn’t waste much time reminding South Carolina that Bud Walton Arena can still feel like a long night for visitors who don’t protect the ball.
The Razorbacks rolled to a 108-74 SEC victory Wednesday night, piling up points in bunches and turning turnovers into momentum early and often.
Arkansas led for nearly the entire game and never let things get uncomfortable for the home crowd.
Darius Acuff Jr. set the tone with one of his most complete performances of the season.
The freshman finished with 18 points and a career-high 13 assists, marking his third double-double and giving the Hogs a steady hand from the opening minutes.
Arkansas got scoring help from just about everywhere. Meleek Thomas led all scorers with 21 points off the bench, Malique Ewin added 18, Trevon Brazile scored 13 and D.J. Wagner chipped in 12.
Six Razorbacks reached double figures, which made the scoreboard operator earn the night’s paycheck.
Former South Carolina player Nick Pringle added a season-high 15 points and seven rebounds against his old team, providing some inside muscle while Arkansas kept the pace up.
South Carolina briefly led 7-6 early, then watched Arkansas respond with a 12-2 run over the next five minutes.
The Gamecocks went cold during that stretch, hitting just one of nine shots as the Razorbacks took control.
Arkansas also managed something rarely seen in modern basketball: it didn’t commit a turnover until the 3:33 mark of the first half.
South Carolina, meanwhile, piled up 10 turnovers in the opening period, each one feeling heavier than the last.
A Brazile breakaway dunk following another turnover pushed Arkansas’ lead to 16 late in the half and set the tone for what followed.
Razorbacks turn defense into separation early
If South Carolina hoped to regroup at halftime, Arkansas shut that door quickly.
The Hogs opened the second half with a 19-1 run that turned a comfortable lead into a runaway. Arkansas hit seven straight shots during that stretch and eventually made 10 consecutive field goals before finally missing.
Meechie Johnson did what he could for the Gamecocks, finishing with 29 points. It was a solid night individually, but it never slowed Arkansas’ rhythm or changed the flow of the game.
Acuff kept finding shooters, Thomas kept scoring in transition and Ewin controlled the paint.
Arkansas’ offense didn’t rely on one player, which made defensive adjustments mostly theoretical.
By the time the final minutes arrived, the Razorbacks were rotating freely and the outcome had long been settled.
The 34-point margin tied for the sixth-largest SEC victory in school history, and the 108 points marked the sixth-most Arkansas has scored in a conference game.
It wasn’t flashy by design, just efficient, physical and organized — the kind of performance coaches like to pretend they expected all along.
Arkansas adds historic margin to SEC win column
South Carolina will try to regroup Saturday at Auburn, while Arkansas heads to Athens to face No. 21 Georgia with momentum and confidence intact.
The Hogs didn’t need a buzzer-beater or late drama on this night.
They needed ball movement, patience and pressure, and they got all three.
For Arkansas, it was one of those games that doesn’t require much explanation.
The box score says enough.
Key takeaways
- Darius Acuff Jr. finished with 18 points and 13 assists, setting a career high in assists.
- Six Razorbacks scored in double figures, led by Meleek Thomas’ 21 points off the bench.
- The 34-point win tied for one of the largest SEC victories in Arkansas history.
