Game one of the SEC Tournament has ended, and it was a rollercoaster. The Razorbacks made fans sweat after allowing South Carolina to make it a game. Regardless, Arkansas prevails, defeating USC 72-68.
It was obvious from the start that Arkansas wanted revenge for its previous matchup. Shooting nearly 55 percent from the floor and almost 40 from deep, the Hogs extended their first-half lead to 17 points before heading to the locker rooms. And they were led by the same unlikely source that helped Arkansas against Mississippi State.
In back-to-back games, Jonas Aidoo has come alive. He went 6-7 in the first half for 14 points (a first-half high) and cleaned up eight rebounds. Whether it was a pick and roll or iso in the paint, Aidoo couldn't miss. And on the defensive end, he was a dominant force, recording a block and a steal.
However, the seven-man rotation is starting to take its toll. Arkansas came out of halftime with the same energy, hitting six of its first eight shots. Then the Razorbacks went cold. Between the 14:18 mark and the 2:38 mark (11 minutes and 41 seconds), the Hogs failed to score a bucket, giving up a 19-2 run. The only point came off free throws from Zvonimir Ivisic with 10:36 left to play.
While part of it had to do with the execution and player fatigue, the officiating seemed to be a catalyst of the Hogs' poor second-half performance. Arkansas' newly refurbished sparkplug, Aidoo, was held in check, gaining all four of his fouls in the second period. Of course, one or two were legitimate fouls, but the rest were questionable, especially with how freely the teams played in the first half.
But with less than two minutes to go, Arkansas woke up and held off the Gamecocks, effectively ending their season and locking in a NCAA Tournament bid for the Razorbacks. Now, the Hogs move on to another revenge game, although not nearly as embarrassing as the first. Arkansas will play Ole Miss in game two, starting at noon CT on Thursday.