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Arkansas will play South Carolina tonight at approximately 8:30 p.m. (CST) in the second round of the SEC Basketball Tournament in St. Louis.
Only four teams play in the first round, and the winners of those games play the fifth and sixth seeds, which are respectively Missouri and Arkansas. No. 11 South Carolina topped No. 14 Ole Miss 85-84 Wednesday evening to advance. If Arkansas beats the Gamecocks tonight, they will move to the third round against No. 3 Florida on Friday. Win that one, and they're in the semifinals.
"We're more worried about ourselves right now...We want to have the 12-2 runs, not let the other team have those runs," Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said. "It ain't about the teams we're going to play. It's about us."
Senior guards Daryl Macon (17.1 ppg, 43.8 percent from 3-point range) and Jaylen Barford (17.9 ppg, 43.4 percent from 3-point range) each were named All-SEC by the Associated Press and by the SEC Coaches' Poll. Barford was first team by the league coaches and second on the AP. It was the other way around for Macon. Freshman Daniel Gafford made the Coaches' Poll All-Freshman Team (AP did not have an all-freshman team)
"I'm happy for those guys and I think if you talk to any of those guys, it's because of what the team's doing," Anderson said. "They'd say they share those accolades because of the winning and the way we're playing...Kudos to those guys."
Arkansas will be without senior forward Dustin Thomas, who was dismissed from the team earlier this week. Thomas was cited for marijuana possession last month, and a video of the citation recently surfaced. Anderson did not comment as to whether or not that was the reason for the dismissal.
"To me, it won't take away from what we're trying to accomplish with this basketball team," Anderson said. "I've made my statement and that's all I'm going to talk about it. Next question."
Thomas was suspended for a portion of last season after he, Anton Beard and Jacorey Williams were picked up for passing counterfeit bills. He started this season off suspended for the first three games for unknown reasons, and he also missed two other games this season due to what Anderson called 'a coach's decision.' Thomas started 17 games for Arkansas this season and averaged 19.2 minutes per game, fifth highest on the team.
In Arkansas' lone meeting with South Carolina this year on Feb. 6, the Razorbacks stomped the Gamecocks 81-65 in Bud Walton Arena. Coincidentally, that was one of the two games Thomas missed due to a 'coach's decision.' Macon went for 25 points while Barford scored 24, and the pair combined for all eight of Arkansas' buckets from 3-point range.
Arkansas' game will start 25 minutes after the Mississippi State-LSU game ends. That one tips off at 6 p.m.