FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (Interstat) — A surging Arkansas squad looks to protect its home court and solidify its standing in the Southeastern Conference when it hosts a South Carolina team seeking a road upset on Wednesday night at Bud Walton Arena.

The Razorbacks (12-4) enter the matchup with the more impressive overall record, but are coming off a 95-73 road loss at Auburn this past Saturday. They had previously won three straight, including an 86-75 home victory over then-Tennessee on Jan. 3. Arkansas is 8-1 at home this season, with the lone loss an 85-84 defeat to then-Houston on Dec. 20.

South Carolina (10-6) has alternated wins and losses over its last six games, most recently falling 75-70 to Georgia at home on Saturday. The Gamecocks are 1-2 in true road games, with their lone victory a 78-68 win at LSU on Jan. 6.

The matchup features two of the SEC’s top guards. Arkansas freshman Meleek Thomas has been a dynamic scorer, averaging 18.3 points over his last three contests. He poured in 28 points in a blowout win over James Madison on Dec. 29. South Carolina will counter with junior Mike Sharavjamts, who is coming off an 18-point performance against Georgia and has scored in double figures in six consecutive games. His playmaking will be crucial; he dished out seven assists in a win over Albany on Dec. 30.

Arkansas holds a significant historical edge, leading the all-time series 23-13. The Razorbacks have won four of the last five meetings, including an 84-80 victory in Fayetteville last season. South Carolina’s last win in the series was a 77-64 home victory in 2022.

For Arkansas, a win would provide momentum before a tough two-game road swing at Georgia and against Vanderbilt. South Carolina, looking to climb above .500 in league play, faces a quick turnaround with a visit to Auburn looming on Saturday.

Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.