NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Khalif Battle scored 20 points, and Makhi Mitchell added 15, as 12th-seeded Arkansas fell to No. 5 seed South Carolina 80-66 on Thursday in the second round of the SEC Tournament.
Neither the Hogs nor the Gamecocks backed down in the first half, which saw 13 lead changes and four ties.
Arkansas exploded out of the gate to start the game. Trevon Brazile knocked down two three-pointers, and Battle scored five consecutive points to put the Razorbacks ahead 11-3 with 16:04 to play in the first half.
The eight-point lead was the largest of the game for the Hogs, who allowed South Carolina to grab 12 offensive rebounds and score 19 second-chance points to get back in it.
Arkansas shot 51.9% from the field and 3 of 13 (23.1%) from three. Additionally, the team turned the ball over 14 times compared to the Gamecocks' 8.
Jalen Grahah came off the bench for the Razorbacks and scored 11 points on 5 of 6 shooting. He also added three rebounds and a team-high four assists. Tramon Mark, who scored 18 points in Wednesday's first-round victory against Vanderbilt, was held to just two points.
South Carolina stepped on the gas near the end of the first half and showed why it's ranked No. 15 in the nation. Over the final 2:15, the Gamecocks forced Arkansas into three turnovers and scored three consecutive baskets to take a 38-35 lead at the half.
Coming out of the break, Collin Boyles-Murray and Ta'Lon Cooper filed South Carolina to an 8-0 run, which extended its lead to 48-35 with 16:43 remaining.
The Gamecocks never relinquished that lead, and the Hogs didn't get within five points for the rest of the game after Graham made a jumper with 10:24 to play to make it 53-47.
Murray-Boyles paced South Carolina with a game-high 24 points, seven rebounds and two assists. B.J. Mack added 19 points and nine rebounds for the Gamecocks, who finished the game shooting 52.5% from the field and 3 of 15 (20%) behind the arc.
Arkansas and head coach Eric Musselman finished the season with a 16-17 overall record, the first losing season of his five-year tenure with the program.