Carolina Concludes Regular Season At Arkansas Saturday

By: USC SID

COLUMBIA, S.C. (USC SID) — South Carolina travels to Arkansas on Saturday, concluding the regular season vs. the Razorbacks. The Gamecocks aim to snap a two-game losing streak, while Arkansas enters the contest having won four straight. Entering Saturday’s action, South Carolina is currently fifth in league standings.

GAMECOCK STORYLINES

– South Carolina is in its 108th season of varsity basketball in 2015-16.
– Carolina is led by fourth-year head coach Frank Martin. Alongside him are associate head coach Matt Figger, assistant coaches Perry Clarkand Lamont Evans and director of men’s hoops operations, Andy Assaley.
– South Carolina is receiving votes in the USA Today/Coaches Top 25 Poll this week, but the Gamecocks have dropped out of the AP poll receiving votes category. The Gamecocks have been receiving votes or have been ranked for the past 14 weeks in the Coaches Poll, rising to as high as 15th, and Carolina was ranked or receiving votes for 13 straight weeks in the AP poll, rising to as high as 19th.
– South Carolina’s 15 home wins this season mark the most since the 2008-09 squad went 16-3 at Colonial Life Arena.
– South Carolina is 58th in the most recent NCAA RPI (March 4), and the Gamecocks are 8-4 against teams in the top 100 of the RPI.
– The Gamecocks are in their 25th season of competition in the Southeastern Conference in 2016. Carolina owns a 154-253 (.378) all-time record in SEC play.
– Frank Martin owns a 75-78 (.490) all-time record in conference games.
– South Carolina struggled from the field, hitting just 25-of-73 attempts (34.2%) in a 74-72 home loss to Georgia on Thursday night. On senior night for Michael Carrera, Laimonas Chatkevicius and Mindaugas Kacinas, Kacinas led the charge with 21 points, while junior guard Sindarius Thornwelladded 16 and Carrera 13. Thornwell also dished seven assists against just one turnover. Kenny Gaines and J.J. Frazier paced the Bulldogs with 20 and 19 points, respectively.
– Junior guard Duane Notice needs just two points to reach 1,000 for his career in the Garnet and Black. Notice would be the third Gamecock this season to reach the career milestone, as junior guard Sindarius Thornwell posted his 1,000th vs. Vandy on Jan. 9, and senior forward Michael Carrera reached the mark vs. Texas A&M on Feb. 6.
– The Gamecocks are 4-2 this season in games decided by five points or less.

SCOUTING ARKANSAS

– The Razorbacks are 16-14 on the season, including a 9-8 mark in SEC games, which puts them in a tie for sixth place in the league standings.
– Arkansas enters Saturday’s regular-season finale on a four-game win streak, with home wins vs. Missouri and LSU, a road win at Tennessee, and most recently a one-point road win at Alabama.
– Arkansas averages 84.6 points per game in home games this season.
– Three average double-figure points for the Razorbacks, led by junior forward Moses Kingsley’s 16.2 per game. Dusty Hannahs (16.0) and Anthlon Bell (15.9) also contribute double-figures.
– Kingsley’s 9.3 rebounds per game in overall games leads the team and ranks third in the league.
– Senior guard Jabril Durham paces the team with 6.2 assists per game. That number ranks second in the league to only Tyler Ulis’ 7.1 per outing.
– Durham’s 1.7 steals per game are also third in the league.
– As a team, Arkansas is second in the SEC in scoring (79.3 points per game), fifth in free throw percent (70.2), first in 3-point field goal percent (40.4), fourth in blocked shots (5.3), second in assists (16.6) and third in steals per game (7.5).
– The Razorbacks are led by head coach Mike Anderson in his fifth season.

UP NEXT

South Carolina awaits results from Saturday’s contests to find out seeding and opponents for next week’s SEC Tournament. The event will be held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, beginning Wednesday and running through the championship game on Sunday. SEC Network will televise the first three rounds, and the semifinals and finals will be broadcast on ESPN.