SEC Hoops: South Carolina is Addicted to Losing Close Games

If there is an SEC men’s basketball game at Colonial Life Arena, it’s going to be a close one right down to the wire and you bet your sweet buns that South Carolina is going to find a way to lose it.

The Gamecocks were 5-point ‘dogs on Wednesday night at home against Ole Miss. Even when they were down by double digits at halftime, you knew they’d find a way to make it close down the stretch. Sure enough, South Carolina took a late lead and had a chance to win the game in the final seconds.

The Gamecocks had two possessions in a one-score game with less than a minute to play. Both possessions ended in turnovers. You can’t make this stuff up. After the second ball bounced out of bounds, Collin Murray-Boyles stared blankly into the camera. He knew it was inevitable and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

South Carolina lost 72-68 to Ole Miss. It’s their fifth-straight loss at home by single digits to a ranked opponent. They’ve lost those SEC games by a combined 17 points. The epitome of brutality.

Arkansas Stays Hot in SEC Play

Beating Kentucky cured all ills for John Calipari’s Hogs. Since his return to Rupp, the Razorbacks have won three out of their last four. For a half, it looked like that might not be the case.

The first 20 minutes were a snoozefest at Bud Walton. The empty arena was quiet to watch LSU, one of the worst teams in the SEC, take a one-point lead into the halftime locker room. The Tigers only previous victory in league play was against Arkansas. They were in danger of handing Arkansas an irreconcilable loss.

That’s when Zvonimir Ivisic woke up Fayetteville. Big Z hit a big three to give the Hogs the lead, one of his three on the night, and it sparked a run that put the game out of reach. Ivisic finished with 25 points on 10-13 shooting and four blocked shots. Arkansas plays at A&M on Saturday, the first of three straight games against ranked SEC opponents.

Oklahoma Stinks

The Sooners have played their way out of the NCAA Tournament. Oklahoma got blown out by Missouri, their fourth loss in five games. The SEC will give them enough opportunities to play their way back onto the right side of the bubble, but Porter Moser’s team is rapidly trending in the wrong direction.

Get Ready for The Big One

For the first time in SEC history, the No. 1 team will play the nation’s No. 2 team in a conference game. The basketball iteration of the Iron Bowl is Saturday at 4 pm inside Coleman Coliseum. It’s the first of seven straight ranked games to end the season for the Crimson Tide.

• #1 Auburn
• at #21 Mizzou
• #15 Kentucky
• #22 Mississippi State
• at #5 Tennessee
• #3 Florida
• at #1 Auburn

SEC Standings

Team	SEC	Overall
Auburn	10-1	22-2
Alabama	10-1	21-3
Florida	8-3	21-3
Texas A&M	8-3	19-5
Ole Miss	8-4	19-6
Missouri	7-4	18-6
Tennessee	7-5	20-5
Kentucky	6-5	17-7
Mississippi State	5-6	17-7
Vanderbilt	5-6	17-7
Arkansas	4-7	15-9
Georgia	4-8	16-9
Texas	4-8	16-9
Oklahoma	3-8	16-8
LSU	1-10	12-12
South Carolina	0-11	10-14

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