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Arkansas has a chance to secure a spot in the top half of the SEC standings this week.
Before hitting the road for a key game at Alabama this weekend, though, the Razorbacks (15-4, 3-3 SEC) welcome South Carolina (11-8, 3-3) to Bud Walton Arena on Wednesday.
Even though the Gamecocks have twice as many losses, both teams have identical 3-3 records in conference play, so it is a critical game when it comes to SEC Tournament seeding.
South Carolina has losses to Boston University, Northern Iowa and Stetson on its resume, but it has also beaten Virginia on the road and knocked off Kentucky at home.
That is similar to last year, when Frank Martin's team went 16-16 overall, but had an 11-7 mark in SEC play to finish tied for fourth in the conference. That includes a 77-65 win over the Razorbacks in Columbia, S.C.
Here's everything you need to know about this year's matchup between Arkansas and South Carolina...
How to Watch/Listen
Where: Fayetteville, Ark. (Bud Walton Arena - capacity 19,200)
Tip off: 7:30 p.m. CT
TV: SEC Network (Mike Morgan and Andy Kennedy) - ONLINE
Radio: Learfield IMG College Razorbacks Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman) - ONLINE
XM/Online: 374/374
South Carolina Players to Know
#00 - G AJ Lawson - So., 6-6, 178
Stats: 27.7 min., 13.7 pts. (40.8 FG%, 33.3 3PT%, 75.6 FT%), 3.1 reb., 2.0 ast., 1.1 stl.
#5 - G Jermaine Couisnard - R-Fr., 6-4, 211
Stats: 23.8 min., 10.7 pts. (40.6 FG%, 33.3 3PT%), 2.9 reb., 2.6 ast.
#10 - F Justin Minaya - R-So., 6-6, 215
Stats: 30.6 min., 8.1 pts. (40.6 FG%, 26.2 3PT%), 6.3 reb., 2.3 ast.
#21 - F Maik Kotsar - Sr., 6-11, 270
Stats: 29.2 min., 9.2 pts. (49.4 FG%), 6.2 reb., 2.0 ast., 1.4 stl.
What They're Saying
“We’ve got to expect to get South Carolina’s best game. Obviously, their non-conference schedule is what it is, but like last year in conference play, they’re playing really well. We expect to see a really good team. They’ve gotten themselves really ready to play against the Virginias and Kentuckys. The Kentucky game was back-and-forth, they got stops when they needed and they scored when they needed. Any time you play a program that has beaten Kentucky or Virginia you better bring your A-game, or else." - head coach Eric Musselman, on South Carolina
"South Carolina is really good. Like you said, as of lately they’re playing really well. I think they have good size and they rebound the ball really well, which has been a struggle for us, rebounding-wise. I know that’s one of our weaknesses and one of our points of emphasis going into the game. It’s another one of those games where we’re going to have to go out there and play hard." - guard Jimmy Whitt, on South Carolina
Projections
Vegas: Arkansas -8.5, O/U 143 ... Arkansas 75.75, South Carolina 67.25
Sagarin: Arkansas -8.04, O/U 135.09 ... Arkansas 71.57, South Carolina 63.53
ESPN BPI: Arkansas -12.6, Arkansas with 85.7% chance to win
Headlines
Whitt leads Hogs on both ends of the floor
Scouting South Carolina: Gamecocks' roster, rankings, stat comparison
