Postgame Thoughts: Arkansas 81, South Carolina 65

Arkansas' Daniel Gafford (10) prepares to shoot over South Carolina's Chris Silva during a game Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018, in Fayetteville.

— A few thoughts and notes following Arkansas' 81-65 win over South Carolina on Tuesday:

Defense sparks big runs

Arkansas’ defense played a big role in extending an early five-point second half lead to double figures and blowing the game open. It had to be refreshing for Mike Anderson to see his team string stops together.

The Razorbacks forced a shot clock violation, five seconds closely guarded call and an airball on a midrange jumper by Hassani Gravett during a stretch in which the Gamecocks didn’t score for more than four and a half minutes and missed on eight straight shots.

Those empty trips also led to easy buckets for Arkansas on the other end, and four players contributed to an 8-0 run. Arkansas then went on a 13-2 run, capped by a Jaylen Barford breakaway dunk, after the Gamecocks cut their deficit to just six with 10 minutes left.

South Carolina scored just .942 points per possession in the loss. It also marked Arkansas’ best game in terms of defensive efficiency since a 35-point win over Oral Roberts on Dec. 19.

Arkansas finished with seven blocks — led by Gafford’s three — for the third time in its last four games. After the game, Frank Martin noted that his team gets its shot blocked more than any other team in the country (14.8%), so he wasn’t surprised by the Hogs’ total.

The blocks got Arkansas out running in transition as well, and the Razorbacks turned 18 Gamecocks turnovers into 26 points.

“We started off playing defense and ended the game playing defense,” Anderson said.

Osabuohien’s role grows

Daryl Macon gave a big shoutout to Gabe Osabuohien after tonight’s win.

The freshman didn’t score — or attempt a shot — but Macon praised Gabe for his patience and for waiting his turn to contribute in conference play. Tuesday was just the second time Osabuohien had seen the floor against SEC opponents after drawing one minute against Texas A&M last week.

Osabuohien wound up playing a season-best 17 minutes and was the first player Anderson sent to the scorer’s table prior to the first media timeout. Again, he didn’t score, but his activity defensively and on the glass was evident.

He took a charge with Arkansas up 13 with under seven to play, and assisted on a huge Daniel Gafford dunk on Arkansas’ next possession.

Postgame, Anderson noted, “He probably had the most impact on the game.”

Stress-free win

The outcome of an Arkansas game wasn’t determined in the final minute for a change. The Razorbacks won comfortably for the first time since the nonconference, and it had to feel great.

Granted, South Carolina ranks sub-300 in 2-point and 3-point offense, but Arkansas desperately needed a win and did it without needing any late-game heroics.

Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford both added that the team got back to its old ways — defense first, offense second — and that a similar effort will be needed Saturday against Vanderbilt to wrap up a 2-0 week heading into a vital portion of its schedule.

It never hurts when your leading scorers combine for 49 points either.

Limiting Chris Silva

South Carolina's leading scorer and rebounder was largely a non-factor in his 27 minutes Tuesday.

Silva’s eight points are his fewest since chipping in six against Tennessee on Jan. 20. Six of his eight points came at the line, too, and he finished just 1 of 5 from the floor.

Arkansas also forced him into four turnovers, tying a high in SEC play, including miscues on each of South Carolina’s first two possessions. He then had the ball stripped away in the final minute after grabbing his last rebound, which kind of summed up a frustrating night.

“We fought him for position,” Anderson said of his team’s efforts on Silva. “There was one time in the first half we just walled up on him. We sent a lot of people in there (to defend him)."