NASHVILLE — South Carolina won only one SEC regular-season game all year. Arkansas started slow, but entered its opening-day SEC Mens Basketball Tournament matchup with the Gamecocks on Wednesday seemingly with all the momentum.
Welcome to March Madness, SEC-style.
Arkansas continued to ride its wave of late-season momentum at least through the first half, but then it fizzled under a barrage of South Carolina defensive stops and shotmaking in the second.
The 9-seed Hogs built a 47-30 halftime lead with a dominating run at the end of the first half, but then had to hold off a furious comeback by the 16-seed Gamecocks down the stretch to earn a 72-68 decision in front of a boisterous crowd at Bridgestone Arena.
South Carolina’s comeback was fueled by the relentless play of Collin Murray-Boyles. At one point he scored six consecutive points to pull the Gamecocks to within one, 61-60.
From there, it remained tight.
Arkansas’ DJ Wagner, who had 10 points in an electric first half, made a three for his first points of the second half and a 64-60 lead. Jacobi Wright made two free throws for South Carolina to make it 64-62, then Trevon Brazile and Wright traded baskets and it was 66-64.
That was when the Hogs finally shut the door. Or at least they appeared to, before the Gameococks, determined to end the plague of close losses that had dogged them all season, made one more desperate run.
Johnell Davis drove for a layup that made it 68-64 Hogs with 32 seconds left. Jamarii Thomas missed a 3-pointer at the other end, and Davis was fouled after grabbing the rebound. He made a pair of free throws with 17 seconds left to make it 70-64 and appeared put it out of reach for good.
But then Davis subsequently missed the front end of a one-and-one after getting fouled again, Wright drove for a quick uncontested layup, and then Murray-Boyles made an incredible steal of a long pass on Arkansas’ ensuing in-bounds pass, leading to another quick Cam Scott dunk a the other end.
Suddenly, it was 70-68 with three seconds left.
The Razorbacks inbounded the ball to Davis successfully on their next in-bounds attempt. After getting fouled, this time he made both free throws — the second he banked in while apparently trying to intentionally miss — and it was 72-68 with just 2.5 seconds remaining.
Arkansas had four players score in double figures, led by Brazile with 16. Aidoo and Davis added 14 each, while Wagner had 13.
In his final game as a Gamecock, Murray-Boyles was spectacular in the second half to finish with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Thomas added 16 and Wright 13.
Information from SEC Sports is included in this story.
