FAYETTEVILLE — Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford are no strangers to controlling games offensively much of the time, with both of the Arkansas seniors in the top five in the Southeastern Conference in scoring.
For one night, at least, the Razorbacks backed up their dynamic guard duo with a defensive effort worthy of a team hoping to reach the NCAA Tournament for a third time in four seasons.
Macon and Barford combined to score 49 points to help Arkansas (16-8, 5-6 SEC) put an end to a two-game losing streak with an 81-65 win over South Carolina on Tuesday night. Macon led the way with 25 points and Barford added 24, but for a change it wasn't their scoring outputs that helped the Razorbacks earn the much-needed victory.
Rather, it was a stellar defensive effort by an Arkansas team that's struggled to stop opponents for much of the season — in particular during losses at Texas A&M and LSU last week.
Against the Gamecocks (13-11, 4-7), the Razorbacks scored 26 points off 18 South Carolina turnovers and held last year's Final Four squad to 41.2-percent (21 of 51) shooting from the field.
"When we play like that, when we play like we did tonight, we can lead no matter who we're playing," Macon said. "Tonight, we got back to our old ways, which is defense first and offense second."
As good as Arkansas was defensively, Macon's 25 points continued what's been a remarkable recent surge in scoring for the senior. He's now scored 20 or more points in six straight games, the first Razorbacks player to do so since Corliss Williamson did so in eight straight games during the 1994-95 season, when Arkansas made the second of its back-to-back national title game appearances.
Macon hit 12 of 13 free throws and Barford was 5 of 9 on 3-pointers. Also, freshman Daniel Gafford had 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting for the Razorbacks, who entered the game having lost six of 10 games after starting the season 11-2.
"To me, that's the team I saw earlier in the year," Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said. "So, it's just good to see us resemble that team tonight."
Hassani Gravett scored 12 points to lead South Carolina, which has lost four straight games for the first time since the 2014-15 season. Justin Minaya and Kory Holden added 11 points apiece, but the Gamecocks had few answers against Arkansas' pressure defense.
"You want to get confidence in your defense, play us," South Carolina coach Frank Martin said. "That will help you ... We haven't played a team that plays like them, and we obviously didn't handle that very well."
BIG PICTURE
South Carolina: The Gamecocks had seven of their shots blocked in the loss, with Gafford and Arkansas teammate Trey Thompson blocking three apiece. "We lead the country in shots getting blocked," Martin said. "So, I'm telling you, you want to get confidence in your defense, play against us. We'll turn it over and we'll shoot it right into your guy so he can block shots and feel good about himself."
Arkansas: The Razorbacks entered Tuesday tied for 288th in the country in scoring defense, allowing an average of 77 points per game. Bolstered by a lineup change that featured 6-foot-8 freshman Gabe Osabuohien seeing extended action for the first time since non-conference play, Arkansas put together one of its best defensive performances in SEC play. Osabuohien played 17 minutes and didn't score, but he took two charges and forced a five-second call in the second half. "He probably had the most impact on the game," Anderson said.
UP NEXT
South Carolina hosts Florida on Saturday.
The Razorbacks stay home to face Vanderbilt on Saturday.
EARLIER
Arkansas 81, South Carolina 65 - Final
This was just the kind of game Arkansas needed after last week.
Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon combined for 49 points, and the Hogs defense limited South Carolina leading scorer Chris Silva to just eight points on 1 of 5 shooting and six rebounds. He also had four turnovers.
Gabe Osabuohien played a season-high 17 minutes. He didn't score, but finished with four rebounds and a pair of assists. Really liked his energy.
Arkansas 75, South Carolina 63 - 3:19 left
Arkansas ballooned its lead to as many as 17 before the Gamecocks added a pair of buckets prior to the under-4 media timeout. The 17 point lead was one point shy of Arkansas' largest in SEC play.
Daryl Macon has now scored 20 or more in six straight games, and continues to be Arkansas' most reliable offensive weapon. Jaylen Barford, though, has a game-high 24 on 7 of 16 shooting.
Arkansas 66, South Carolina 54 - 7:47 left
Jaylen Barford has tied a career high with five 3s and scored a game-high 22 points. Daryl Macon also has 18. Another bucket would give Macon his sixth straight 20-point game.
Arkansas is scoring at a 1.20 PPP clip in the second half while allowing just .889. The Hogs' defense has been sharp, for the most part, since the break. Chris Silva, the Gamecocks' leading scorer, has just eight points (6/8 FT) and five rebounds to this point.
Arkansas 59, South Carolina 46 - 11:52 left
Arkansas' defense has really come to the forefront of the game over the last five minutes. It has forced the Gamecocks into a shot clock violation, five seconds closely guarded call and an airball on a midrange jumper.
South Carolina has not scored in the last 4:36 and has missed on its last eight shots as Arkansas has grabbed its largest lead of the night.
Arkansas 53, South Carolina 46 - 15:46 left
Jaylen Barford knocked down his fourth 3 of the game tonight, giving him a game-high 18 points. He's one 3 shy of tying a season-high as well. Daryl Macon also has 13, and will be at the line for a pair following the break.
South Carolina is staying in this one through the foul line - 16 of 19. Hassani Gravett leads the Gamecocks with 12 points.
Arkansas 43, South Carolina 38 - Half
Jaylen Barford led all scorers with 15 in the first half and Daryl Macon added 10 more. Arkansas shot 48 percent and scored 11 points off 10 Gamecocks turnovers.
South Carolina finished the half 2 of its last 9 from the floor, but is still within striking distance thanks to a 12 of 15 showing at the line. Chris Silva - third in the nation in free throws taken - is 6 of 8 and has eight points to go with four rebounds.
Arkansas 37, South Carolina 33 - 3:41 left first half
Daryl Macon is now in double figures after knocking down his first triple of the night. Macon's left wing 3 came off a great find from Trey Thompson in the right short corner. On Arkansas' previous defensive possession Thompson blocked Hassani Gravett's jumper late in the shot clock.
Dustin Thomas is the lone scholarship player on the roster to not enter the game.
Arkansas 31, South Carolina 24 - 7:28 left first half
Jaylen Barford is putting on a 3-point shooting clinic tonight, and it's partly allowed Arkansas to take a seven-point lead. Barford is 3 of 4 from deep and his last two in a two-minute span.
Daryl Macon will be at the line for one after getting a layup to fall following a Daniel Gafford block - his fourth straight game with at a block. Barford leads the way with 11 points and Macon has six, looking for seven.
South Carolina 19, Arkansas 18 - 11:48 left first half
The Gamecocks have opened the night 7 of 11 from the floor and 3 of 5 from distance. Justin Minaya leads South Carolina with seven points.
C.J. Jones misfired on his first 3-point attempt of the night, but calmly pumpfaked his way into a nice midrange jumper off glass for his first bucket. A Trey Thompson steal also led to a fastbreak opportunity for Jaylen Barford. He's at the line when play resumes.
Arkansas 9, South Carolina 8 - 15:53 left first half
Daniel Gafford and Anton Beard have combined for all nine of Arkansas' points early on. Gafford has five to lead all scorers.
Adrio Bailey got a starting nod tonight, but quickly picked up a pair of fouls in the opening four minutes. Mike Anderson then sent Gabe Osabuohien to the scorer's table. The freshman has played one minute in SEC play to this point.
Pregame
Mike Anderson has inserted Adrio Bailey back into the lineup alongside Anton Beard, Daryl Macon, Jaylen Barford and Daniel Gafford. Tonight marks Bailey's 12th start of the season.
In-game updates were provided by Scottie Bordelon of WholeHogSports