The No. 9 seed Arkansas Razorbacks nearly squandered a 20-point second-half lead but held on to defeat No. 16 seed South Carolina 72-68 in the first round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday. Trevon Brazile led the way for Arkansas with 16 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks, while Johnell Davis delivered six crucial points in the final 40 seconds to help the Razorbacks avoid disaster.
With the victory, Arkansas (20-12) advances to face No. 8 seed Ole Miss in the second round on Thursday. The Rebels, ranked No. 13 at the time, won the lone regular-season meeting between the teams 73-66 on Jan. 8.
The Razorbacks built a commanding lead early, closing the first half on an 11-0 run to take a 47-30 advantage into the locker room. Jonas Aidoo was dominant in the opening 20 minutes, scoring a game-high 14 points before the break.
Arkansas extended its lead to as many as 20 points early in the second half and still held a comfortable 59-41 advantage with 14:18 remaining. However, the Razorbacks went ice-cold from the field, missing 12 consecutive shots over an 11-minute stretch.
During that drought, South Carolina (12-20) stormed back, unleashing a 19-2 run. Collin Murray-Boyles, who finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds, capped the surge with a jumper from the free-throw line, cutting the deficit to 61-60.
Needing a basket, Arkansas finally got a crucial 3-pointer from D.J. Wagner with 2:37 left, snapping the field-goal drought and extending the lead to 64-60. Brazile then added a tip-in on the next possession, giving the Razorbacks more breathing room.
Despite Arkansas’ first missed free throw of the game with 14 seconds left, South Carolina continued to battle. Jacobi Wright’s layup trimmed the lead to 70-66, and after a Razorbacks turnover near midcourt, Cam Scott’s dunk with 3.2 seconds left made it a two-point game.
With the pressure mounting, Davis calmly secured the inbounds pass and sank two free throws with 2.5 seconds remaining, sealing the win.
With the win, Arkansas avenged a 72-53 regular-season loss to South Carolina on March 1. Now, the Razorbacks shift their focus to a second-round showdown with Ole Miss, a team that already defeated them earlier this season.
For South Carolina, the loss ends a disappointing season, but the Gamecocks showed resilience in nearly completing a remarkable comeback.
Arkansas will need to clean up its second-half struggles if it hopes to advance further in the tournament. However, with key contributors like Brazile, Davis, and Wagner stepping up late, the Razorbacks live to fight another day in Nashville.
Key Performers
• Trevon Brazile (Arkansas): 16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks
• Johnell Davis (Arkansas): 14 points, including six in the final 40 seconds
• Jonas Aidoo (Arkansas): 14 points, all in the first half
• D.J. Wagner (Arkansas): 13 points, 6 assists
• Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina): 20 points, 12 rebounds
• Jamarii Thomas (South Carolina): 16 points
• Jacobi Wright (South Carolina): 13 points
