Arkansas @ South Carolina preview

Arkansas at South Carolina

Last Meeting ( Mar 8, 2018 ) South Carolina 64, Arkansas 69

Arkansas looks to continue its surge in the SEC when it puts its four-game winning streak in conference play on the line Saturday at South Carolina. The teams are separated by just one game in the league standings.

After a hot start to SEC play, the Gamecocks have dropped three of their last four games - including blowout losses to No. 1 Tennessee (92-70) and at No. 5 Kentucky (76-48). Arkansas is trending in the opposite direction, having won three straight and four of five following a four-game skid - with the only loss in that stretch coming at Texas Tech in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. The Razorbacks have pulled out a pair of close victories in their last two games, winning 90-89 at LSU and erasing a double-digit deficit in a 69-66 home triumph over Vanderbilt on Tuesday. The Razorbacks enter Saturday with a three-game winning streak in the all-time series.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT ARKANSAS (14-8, 5-4 SEC): The young Razorbacks are coming into their own, especially at the defensive end. They’re a challenge to guard with Daniel Gafford (16.9 points, 8.9 rebounds) wreaking havoc inside and Isaiah Joe (14.2 points) leading the SEC in 3-pointers made (79) and 3-pointers per game (3.59). Mason Jones (13.7 points) also is tough to stop and has averaged 14.4 points in conference play.

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (11-11, 6-3): The Gamecocks are coming off a dreadful offensive performance against Kentucky, shooting 35.8 percent just one game after hitting 56.9 percent in a win at Georgia. Chris Silva (13.6 points, 6.9 rebounds) was limited to four points in only 15 minutes because of foul trouble against the Wildcats, and the Gamecocks need a bounce-back game from him. Freshman A.J. Lawson (13.2 points) has been one of the team’s most consistent scorers while Hassani Gravett (10.7 points) is a dangerous outside shooter.

TIP-INS

1. The Razorbacks have taken at least one charge in 10 straight games, taking a total of 27 over that span.

2. Arkansas has made a 3-pointer in 999 consecutive contests dating to 1989.

3. South Carolina G Tre Campbell is 9-for-13 from 3-point range over his last three games and is shooting 48.5 percent from beyond the arc in SEC play.

PREDICTION: Arkansas 76, South Carolina 73