COLUMBIA, SC (KFSM)- The Arkansas basketball team has had a flare for the dramatic this season and Thursday’s game at South Carolina took the cake.
Arkansas beat the Gamecocks 78-74 to improve to 13-4 in the SEC and clinch the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament next week.
It’s the eighth SEC game the Hogs have won by six points or less.
The Razorbacks held a 20-point lead in the first half only to see it evaporate. South Carolina went on a 48-17 run and led by 11 points with six minutes to play.
Arkansas then finished the game on an 18-3 run.
Bobby Portis scored 24 points and pulled down eight rebounds to lead the Hogs. Michael Qualls finished with 18 points and seven rebounds.
Rashad Madden had nine points, nine assists and seven rebounds.
Arkansas made 17 of its first 24 shots to take a 43-23 lead with just over 6 minutes to go in the first half. But the Gamecocks would outscore the Razorbacks by 31 points over the next 20 minutes, and Duane Notice’s basket put South Carolina up 71-60 with 6 minutes left.
Arkansas scored on six of its next eight possessions, with Anthlon Bell hitting two 3-pointers and a putback. Qualls’ jumper in the paint with 1:26 to go gave the Razorbacks the lead for good at 74-73.
The Gamecocks had one more chance at the free throw line down three. Sindarius Thornwell made the first free throw and missed the second, but Qualls pulled down the rebound.
Arkansas has won 24 games for the first time since 1997-98. The Razorbacks haven’t won more since 1994-95, when they went 32-7 and lost in the national title game to UCLA.
The Razorbacks host LSU Saturday at 1 p.m. in the regular season finale.
