Arkansas faces style clash as veteran South Carolina visits Bud Walton

Arkansas returns home needing pace and discipline against a South Carolina team built on experience and a deliberate tempo.

South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Lamont Paris speaks with guard Eli Ellis (15) against the Georgia Bulldogs in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas finally gets back to Bud Walton Arena, which usually feels like a reset button.

Road trips have a way of exposing things, and the Razorbacks saw both sides of that last week.

A win at Ole Miss showed what this team can look like when it’s connected. The trip to Auburn, meanwhile, reminded everyone that momentum doesn’t pack itself in the luggage.

Now the Hogs are home for a Wednesday night matchup with South Carolina, a team that doesn’t carry much shine in the standings but brings experience, something else Arkansas can’t ignore. Plenty of it.

The Razorbacks are 12-4 overall and 2-1 in SEC play, while the Gamecocks sit at 10-6 and 1-2 in the league. Those numbers don’t scare anyone by themselves, but this isn’t a matchup that rewards drifting mentally toward what comes next.

That’s especially true with a ranked Georgia game waiting later in the week. Arkansas has already learned this season that overlooking anyone in the SEC usually ends with a long night and a short memory. South Carolina may not be a tournament lock, but it’s far better than last year’s version.

The Gamecocks already have half as many SEC wins as they did all of last season. That alone qualifies as progress. A year ago, South Carolina finished 2-16 in conference play, and one of those wins came against Arkansas late.

That result still lingers in the background, even if nobody says it out loud.

Lamont Paris is in his fourth season running the program, and his résumé reflects both promise and frustration. His second year produced a 26-win breakout, but consistency hasn’t followed. Still, this roster feels steadier, and that matters on the road.

South Carolina’s biggest strength isn’t flash or athletic advantage. It’s familiarity. The Gamecocks start two sixth-year seniors, a fifth-year wing, and another multi-year contributor.

Freshmen barely factor into the rotation, which makes mistakes harder to force and dry spells easier to survive.

That veteran makeup shows up most clearly in pace. South Carolina plays slow — extremely slow — ranking near the bottom nationally in tempo. They average just over 65 possessions per game, preferring to grind rather than race.

Arkansas lives on the other end of that spectrum, ranking among the fastest teams in the country.

The contrast in styles is obvious before the ball even tips.

JaSouth Carolina Gamecocks guard Meechie Johnson (5) drives past Georgia Bulldogs center Somto Cyril (2) in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

South Carolina’s pieces make Arkansas defend details

Meechie Johnson sits at the center of South Carolina’s offense. The sixth-year guard has bounced between Ohio State and South Carolina, and he leads the team at 13.8 points per game.

Leave him open from deep, and he won’t hesitate.

Mike Sharavjamts brings balance. The Utah transfer scores mostly inside the arc and leads the team on the boards. He’s not loud about it, but he’s consistent, especially on rebounds.

Elijah Strong has quietly shifted games recently. The Boston College transfer doesn’t typically rely on the three, but he’s hit seven over the last four games, including a perfect night against LSU. Overall, he’s shooting better than 50 percent from the floor.

Kobe Knox adds a familiar storyline. The brother of Arkansas wing Karter Knox plays with a similar attacking style, though his perimeter shooting hasn’t followed him this season.

Myles Stute, another sixth-year senior, fills the role of volume shooter and rebounder, spacing the floor and doing just enough of everything.

Freshman Eli Ellis brings confidence and attempts in bunches. Efficiency hasn’t arrived yet, but the willingness to shoot never wavers.

From an analytics standpoint, this is a Quad 3 game. South Carolina sits 90th in the NET, with clean wins where it should have them and struggles when the competition rises.

The Gamecocks shoot plenty of threes but don’t make many, ranking near the bottom nationally in percentage.

Defensively, though, they flip that weakness into a strength. South Carolina is one of the SEC’s better teams at defending the arc, allowing under 30 percent shooting from deep.

They also punish mistakes at the free-throw line, leading the conference in percentage even if they don’t get there often.

Inside the arc is where cracks appear. South Carolina allows nearly 49 percent shooting on twos and gives up a high volume of looks, an area Arkansas can exploit if it stays aggressive without forcing things.

Arkansas Razorbacks wing Karter Knox warms up prior to the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

What Arkansas must control to avoid frustration

Health is part of the equation. Karter Knox is listed as probable after suffering a hip pointer against Auburn.

He didn’t practice Sunday, according to John Calipari, so there’s a chance Billy Richmond III slides into the starting lineup.

Either way, Arkansas has options.

The Razorbacks’ biggest edge comes when they run. They rank third nationally in fast-break scoring, and early tempo could wear down a slower opponent. Getting stops, rebounding cleanly, and pushing the ball all feed into that advantage.

Rebounding should also tilt Arkansas’ way. South Carolina ranks last in the SEC in total rebounds and offensive boards.

Closing possessions matters, especially against a team that values every trip.

The biggest danger is fouling. South Carolina doesn’t need many free throws to hurt you because it makes nearly 79 percent of them.

Giving away points at the line keeps a slow team comfortable.

If Arkansas plays clean, the matchup favors the Razorbacks. If it gets sloppy, patience becomes the real test.

Key takeaways

• Arkansas must dictate tempo to avoid letting the game bog down.
• South Carolina’s experience keeps it competitive, even when trailing.
• Rebounding and foul discipline will decide whether the game stays close.