Content by – SOUTH CAROLINA ATHLETICS for
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Razorbacks shot 69.7% (23-of-33) in the second half and outscored Carolina, 58-36, over the final 20 minutes
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Darius Acuff Jr. had 18 points and 13 assists as No. 17 Arkansas routed South Carolina 108-74 on Wednesday night.
Meleek Thomas led six Razorbacks in double figures with 21 points off the bench. Reserve forward Malique Ewin scored 18, Trevon Brazile had 13 and D.J. Wagner added 12.
Nick Pringle, who spent last season at South Carolina, set a season high with 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Acuff, a freshman, posted his third double-double and set a career best for assists. He’s scored in double figures in every game for Arkansas (13-4, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) this season.
Meechie Johnson paced the Gamecocks (10-7, 1-3) with 29 points.
South Carolina led once at 7-6 before Arkansas went on a 12-2 run in 4:59 to open a 22-12 lead. The Gamecocks shot just 1 of 9 from the field during that span.
Arkansas didn’t commit its first turnover until the 3:33 mark of the first half. South Carolina, meanwhile, gave away the ball 10 times to that point, resulting in 10 Razorbacks points. The 10th turnover led to a breakaway dunk for Brazile that put Arkansas ahead by 16 with four minutes left in the half.
Early in the second, a 19-1 spurt by Arkansas all but ended South Carolina’s comeback hopes. The Razorbacks made seven straight field goals during the run and built the lead to 30 points. They ultimately hit 10 in a row before missing.
Arkansas’ 34-point win tied for the sixth-largest in an SEC game in school history and the team’s 108 points equaled its sixth-most in an SEC game.
KEY STATS
- South Carolina had 16 turnovers (10 in the first half) leading to 22 points for the Razorbacks. The Gamecocks entered tonight’s game averaging just 9.7 turnovers per contest, which led the SEC.
- Arkansas, who entered tonight’s game No. 3 nationally in fastbreak points, held a 32-7 edge in transition opportunities.
NOTABLES
- Redshirt senior guard Meechie Johnson led the team with 29 points. It was his third 20-point game of the season and 17th of his career.
- Johnson was 9-of-13 from the floor and 8-of-10 at the free throw line. He was also 3-of-6 from behind the arc.
- Johnson led the Gamecocks with six assists, his eighth game of the season (25th career) with five or more helpers.
- Freshman forward EJ Walker had a career-high seven points in nine minutes off the bench.
UP NEXT
Carolina remains on the road with a trip to Auburn (10-7, 1-3 SEC) on deck Saturday. Mike Morgan (pxp) and Pat Bradley (analyst) will be on the call for the 6 p.m. (ET) SEC Network broadcast.
