In the home stretch Hogs hope Walton success spurs late rally
FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Razorbacks can use some home cooking, and they’ll get a generous portion the rest of February starting at 6 tonight against South Carolina in Walton Arena.
After playing the previous three SEC games on the road, the Razorbacks (15-8, 4-6) have four of their next five games at home.
The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville dropped to 1-6 on the road — including 1-5 in SEC play — after losing 94-86 at LSU last Saturday.
Arkansas last played a home SEC game 17 days ago on Jan. 20 when the Razorbacks beat Ole Miss 97-94.
The Razorbacks’ lone road victory this season was 80-77 in double overtime at Georgia two weeks ago when they rallied from a 16-point deficit.
“I thought we got to a point where we overcame some adversity and that would be good going into the next game on the road,” Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson said. “And, of course, we didn’t get it done.”
After winning at Georgia, the Razorbacks went to Texas A&M and lost 80-66. Then LSU scored the most points Arkansas has allowed this season.
“The road hasn’t been good to us this year,” Anderson said. “But we’ve still got a lot of basketball in front of us.”
Five of Arkansas’ final eight SEC games are at home, including opportunities for marquee victories over No. 8 Auburn and No. 24 Kentucky in Walton Arena.
The Razorbacks are 32-6 in their last 38 games in Walton Arena, including 11-1 this season.
“Whether you play at home or on the road, you’ve got to come out and play,’ Anderson said. “But I want to see us come out and really bring the things we do in
practice each and every day.
“I just don’t think we’ve been bringing our practice to the game consistently. We may do it for 25 minutes or 30 minutes, but the game is 40 minutes. I’m looking forward to seeing our team play together for 40 minutes and our bench come in and play strong minutes for us.”
South Carolina (13-10, 4-6) has lost three consecutive games, but the Gamecocks are 4-4 on the road, including victories at Florida and Georgia.
“When we’ve been good in the road we haven’t turned it over and we’ve scored in the paint,” South Carolina Coach Frank Martin said. “And when we haven’t been good on the road we’ve had turnovers — and our turnovers are like pick-sixes in football — and we’ve been unable to score in the paint.
“That’s the recipe that we’ve got to figure out more consistently with how we play, which gives us a better chance to win.”
South Carolina won 77-72 at Florida a week after the Gators beat the Razorbacks 88-73 at home.
“They’re incredibly tough year in and year out,” Florida Coach Mike White said of the Gamecocks. “That’s how Frank’s teams are going to play.
“They’re disciplined, they’re organized, they play together. They’ve got some experience.
“They’re going to guard you at a high level, they’re
going to execute. They’re just very good, as are a bunch of teams in this league.”
South Carolina has two returning starters from last season’s team — 6-9 junior Chris Silva and 6-10 sophomore Maik Kotsar — that made the Gamecocks’ first Final Four appearance.
Silva is averaging 14.7 points and 7.8 rebounds. He scored 27 points against Vanderbilt and Kentucky and had 18 points and 12 rebounds at Florida.
“I think Silva is one of the most underrated guys in the country,” White said.
In SEC games the Gamecocks lead the conference in offensive rebounds per game (14.1) as well as a 35.5 percent rate on grabbing offensive rebounds and 74.1 percent on defense rebounds.
“That’s in their DNA as a Frank Martin team,” Anderson said. “Their offense is shoot it and go get it, and control the defensive glass.
“We’ve got to keep them off the offensive glass, and as they send guys to the basket we’ve got to make them pay on the other end.”
Martin said the Gamecocks have to limit their turnovers and the Razorbacks’ fastbreak opportunities.
“You have to keep them out of transition,” Martin said. “Then on half-court defense, you have to be extremely good on your coverages because if you’re late on recovering, they’ve got three or four guys that all jump up and make shots for them.”
Arkansas plays six seniors in its rotation, led by guards Jaylen Baford and Daryl Macon, who are averaging 18.8 points and 17.0 points, respectively.
“It’s an eight-game season for them,” Anderson said. of the seniors. “I’m hoping that is kind of trickling into their mind about the sense of urgency, understanding this is your last go-around and that means you have to leave everything out there on the floor.
“I keep talking about leadership on this basketball team and I think that’s something that’s been kind of lacking. Can those guys provide that as we step into this period right now?”
Anderson said he hasn’t lost confidence in the Razorbacks.
“We can play a lot better,” he said. “But I still [like] the makeup of this team.”
“They’re incredibly tough year in and year out. That’s how Frank’s teams are going to play. They’re disciplined, they’re organized, they play together. They’ve got some experience.” Florida Coach Mike White, on South Carolina