Another home game, another win for Arkansas.
The Razorbacks jumped on South Carolina late in the first half and rolled to a 76-65 decision over the Gamecocks for their 17th win in Fayetteville, a school record in Bud Walton Arena.
The 1993-94 Razorbacks who won the school's national championship had held the former mark with a 16-0 record at home.
It was a bounce-back win for the Hogs, who had lost at Georgia in their prior game.
"This was a great win for our team," coach Mike Anderson said, perhaps going to extremes just a tad -- South Carolina came into the game in last place in the SEC and left the same way. "It was a great defensive effort. We really dictated tempo."
With the win, the Hogs improved to 17-8 overall and 5-5 in the SEC. They are tied for fifth place with Alabama, Ole Miss, and Tennessee just a game behind Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, who are tied for third.
The top four finishers at the end of the regular season will earn first-round byes in the conference tournament.
The Hogs will continue the quest for their first road win of the season in their next game when they visit Tennessee.
A win would be a huge boost for the Razorbacks, who have two games at home against Florida and Alabama after that.
NOTES, QUOTES
--F Hunter Mickelson blocked two shots against South Carolina, giving him a total of 62 for the season, an Arkansas single-season freshman record. Oliver Miller had set the mark in the 1988-89 season.
The school single-season record for blocks is 112, also set by Miller in the 1990-91 season.
--Officially, Arkansas entered the week 17-1 at home but the loss came at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock, the Hogs' second "home." They lost 78-67 to Houston there on Nov. 18.
The Razorbacks, after Saturday's win, were 17-0 in Bud Walton Arena, where they have three games remaining in the regular season against Florida, Alabama, and Ole Miss.
--Arkansas forced 21 turnovers by South Carolina on the strength of 13 steals, which matched a high against an SEC opponent. The Razorbacks had come up with 13 steals in a loss at Ole Miss back on Jan. 11.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I thought we played with the fire we needed to play with today. In the second half, we came out with great intensity." -- Coach Mike Anderson, after the 11-point win over South Carolina.
THIS WEEK'S GAMES
--at Tennessee, Feb. 15
Freshman F Jarnell Stokes has bolstered the Vols' inside game. Leading scorer Trae Golden, Jordan McRae, Cameron Tatum, and Skylar McBee give Tennessee multiple threats on the perimeter.
--vs. Florida, Feb. 18
Like Tennessee, the Gators have numerous three-point threats in Kenny Boynton, Bradley Beal, and Erving Walker. F/C Erik Murphy also shoots the three. The chore for the Razorbacks will be inside working against F Patric Young.
FUTURES MARKET
With a 17-8 overall record after the win over South Carolina, the Razorbacks were among many teams hoping to get an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. But the Hogs needed to validate their credentials with a win on the road, where they entered the week 0-7. They had a couple of more opportunities after their trip to Tennessee. They go to Auburn on Feb. 25 and the regular season at Mississippi State on March 3.
PLAYER NOTES
--Senior F Michael Sanchez, who doesn't have big numbers but is an experienced hand inside for the Razorbacks, was in street clothes on the bench against South Carolina after sustaining a shoulder injury against Georgia in the previous game.
--Freshman G BJ Young scored 27 points, 16 in the first half, against South Carolina for his fourth 20-point game of the season.
--Sophomore G Brandon Mitchell, who joined the basketball team after the end of the football season, when he was a backup quarterback, played 16 minutes in his fourth appearance of the season and scored eight points in going 4-of-7 from the field.
