South Carolina vs. Arkansas: Three things to watch for in first round of SEC Tournament
It’s do-or-die time for South Carolina.
The Gamecocks (12-19, 2-16 SEC) will take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in the first round of the SEC Tournament. Tip-off is at 1 p.m. on SEC Network. A loss at any point this week would end their season.
Here are three things to watch as the Gamecocks begin tournament play from Nashville on Wednesday.
What impact will the previous matchup have on this game?
It’s only been 10 days since these two teams met for their only matchup during the regular season. South Carolina, which had only one SEC win then, embarrassed the Razorbacks in a 72-53 win on March 1.
The Gamecocks played great defense all afternoon, holding Arkansas to under 30 percent shooting. In a 14-point first half, the Razorbacks had only made three shots and shot 12.5 percent from the field.
South Carolina also received some standout performances in that game as Collin Murray-Boyles led the way with a career-high 35 points. Nick Pringle nearly had a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds. Even coming off the bench, Jordan Butler had nine points and a pair of three-pointers.
Given how recent this game was, it’s easy to see why it seems like a favorable matchup for the Gamecocks. But it’s safe to assume that Arkansas will have learned from its lackluster performance and identified what went wrong. Then again, South Carolina will be as ready as it can be for any adjustments made by the Razorbacks.
Will this be CMB’s last game?
It’s very much possible that Wednesday could be the final time that Murray-Boyles suits up for the Gamecocks. Of course, that’s dependent on whether South Carolina comes up short against the Razorbacks. The sophomore forward has had a great season and looks to be a high NBA Draft pick candidate this summer.
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Unsurprisingly, Murray-Boyles hasn’t made an official decision one way or the other, as he said on Tuesday that his main focus is on the game at hand. But it won’t be shocking if he chooses to turn pro after the season ends. His draft stock is going to be as good as it gets.
If this is the end, though, it’s been a great two seasons for him at South Carolina. He’s been tearing it up lately, averaging 23 points over the last five games. If he can continue to play at the level he’s capable of, the Gamecocks will always have a chance to win.
Arkansas is still down multiple key players
Once again, Arkansas will be without its two leading scorers going into the SEC Tournament. Adou Thiero and Boogie Fland, who are both averaging more than 15 points per game, are listed as OUT on the SEC student-athlete availability report.
This doesn’t come as a huge surprise since both players have been dealing with injuries for some time now. Thiero hasn’t played since Feb. 22 and Fland since Jan. 18. When the Razorbacks were blown out by the Gamecocks earlier this month, neither player was available. This gave South Carolina a big advantage, specifically in the paint for Murray-Boyles and Pringle, and it could be important again on Wednesday.
Game details
Who: South Carolina (12-19, 2-16 SEC) vs. Arkansas (19-12, 8-10 SEC)
When: Wednesday, March 12 at 1 p.m.
Where: Bridgestone Arena (20,000)
How to watch/listen: SEC Network/107.5 The Game
ESPN gives South Carolina a 32.0 percent chance to win
