Arkansas was asleep at the wheel Saturday against South Carolina, putting forth one of the worst first halves the program has ever had in the shot clock era.
After upsetting Mizzou and outlasting Texas in overtime, Arkansas looked as if it was playing its way off the bubble and into the NCAA Tournament. But with 3 games still to play in the regular season (including Saturday), the work was not yet done. The Razorbacks (17-11, 6-9 SEC) couldn’t afford a slip-up.
Against a Gamecocks squad that has 1 previous win in 15 league games, the Razorbacks went into the halftime break trailing 32-14.
And, somehow, that margin doesn’t even do justice to how miserable the first 20 minutes were for John Calipari and his group. At one point Saturday afternoon, the official team account posted on social media a selection of photos with the caption, “There is definitely a game being played right now.”
Nothing else to say.
There is definitely a game being played right now pic.twitter.com/oS8eXehUFz
— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball ? (@RazorbackMBB) March 1, 2025Arkansas made 1 of its first 17 shots. DJ Wagner knocked down a jumpshot with 16:54 to play for the team’s first points of the game. The Razorbacks didn’t score again for another 5 minutes.
They trailed 18-3 after nearly 13 minutes of game time. Free throws from Wagner jump-started a mini 6-1 run to get back within 10, but South Carolina answered that with an 8-0 run of its own. A 3-pointer from Morris Ugusuk with 2:05 to play put South Carolina up 20.
A pair of foul shots from Jonas Aidoo with 61 seconds remaining in the half ensured Arkansas would not match the mark for its lowest-scoring opening half in the shot clock era — 12 points against Nebraska in 1987. Still, the 14 points were the fewest ever in a first half by a Calipari-coached team.
The Razorbacks made just 3 of their 24 shot attempts (13%) and missed all 8 of their 3-pointers. They also had 9 turnovers compared to just 3 from South Carolina. The Gamecocks outscored the Razorbacks 20-6 in the paint in the first half.
Arkansas was clowned by media members and slammed by fans. Here’s some of the social reaction to the half.
Don't think I'm taking a jump when saying this…..but that might be the worst half of Arkansas basketball in 20 years. In a game they really needed to have.
— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) March 1, 2025Does Arkansas think they’re a lock for the tournament? Like do they think they can drop this game? Insane lack of urgency
— Theater In College Hoops (@CBBTheater) March 1, 2025Did Arkansas even get off the bus? pic.twitter.com/6vchgZHYck
— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) March 1, 2025Inexcusable to come out this flat. Same old Arkansas.
— Josh Rugger (@RugsWX) March 1, 2025Arkansas down 18-3 against the worst team in the conference. Yikes.
— Zachary Hall (@WxZachary) March 1, 2025Arkansas currently on pace to score 9.6 points…in the entire game.
— Andrew Hutchinson (@NWAHutch) March 1, 2025Typical Arkansas letdown game on the road when we can least afford it…
— pinto (@pinto479) March 1, 2025Absolutely pathetic start by Arkansas.
— Curtis Wilkerson (@CurtWilkerson_) March 1, 2025After Arkansas got back into the NCAA tournament picture by beating Missouri, Kentucky and sweeping Texas in the month of February, the Razorbacks are starting March by … trailing 18-3 to a South Carolina team that entered today with one SEC win.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) March 1, 2025Arkansas/South Carolina is one of the worst games I've ever seen and I can't look away.
— Power Mizzou (@PowerMizzoucom) March 1, 2025Arkansas' worst half of basketball in the Calipari era comes at a horrible time. Need a completely different team coming out of the locker room after the break. Yikes.
— Curtis Wilkerson (@CurtWilkerson_) March 1, 2025Arkansas comes unglued in disastrous first half against South Carolina Saturday Down South.
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