South Carolina Basketball: Arkansas Pregame Prognostications and How to Watch

South Carolina basketball’s losing streak was extended to six straight games with a home loss to Mississippi State on Tuesday. Playing host to a tough Arkansas team does not make ending that skid an easy task, but Head Coach Lamont Paris and his team will have the opportunity on Saturday at 3:30. The game will be televised on the SECNetwork and the ESPN App.

Arkansas handed Texas A&M just their second loss in conference during their last time out and has won three straight games in-conference. Ricky Council IV is the second-best scorer in the SEC, leading a top-4 offense in the SEC, while the Gamecocks remain the lowest-rated offense in the league based on both total scoring output and field goal efficiency.

A woeful offense is not South Carolina’s only deficiency this season, as the team is allowing a 47.3% opposing field goal percentage, the 18th worst mark in all of college basketball. Arkansas’ offensive prowess will be in full view of SECNetwork viewers on Saturday unless the Gamecocks’ defensive effort turns around. An even better defensive team than they are an offensive one, the Razorbacks allow under 41% shooting to their opponents.

South Carolina shoots a lot of three-point jumpers with Chico Carter being the league leader in 3P%, and Meechie Johnson and GG Jackson being among the conference leaders in threes attempted per game. Arkansas, though, is one of the conference’s best teams at defending the arc, allowing just over 30% on shots from downtown. If the Gamecocks are to beat the Razorbacks, they will need to free up their shooters from an impressive defensive unit from Fayetteville.

Prediction

South Carolina has won 8 of the last 11 matchups between the ‘Cocks and the Hogs in Columbia, but this South Carolina team is struggling right now. The smothering defensive style played by Arkansas likely will be too much for the Gamecocks to overcome as Eric Musselman’s squad gets ahead early and cruises in the second half to a big victory, unfortunately ballooning the Gamecocks’ losing streak to 7 games

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