South Carolina women's basketball vs. Arkansas Razorbacks scouting report, score prediction

COLUMBIA — South Carolina women's basketball shows no signs of slowing down after dominating Vanderbilt on Thursday, and the team will look to continue its momentum in its next SEC showdown with Arkansas.

The No. 1 Gamecocks (19-0, 7-0 SEC) face the Razorbacks (17-4, 4-2) at Colonial Life Arena on Sunday (3 p.m., ESPN2). The game is dedicated to We Back Pat, a campaign honoring legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summitt by raising awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and funds for research. Summitt was diagnosed with early-onset dementia in 2011 and died in 2016 at age 63.

South Carolina swept Arkansas in two meetings last season, beating the Razorbacks 61-52 in the regular season and 76-54 in the SEC tournament. A victory Sunday would extend the Gamecocks' nation-leading streak to 26 games, tying the program record for consecutive wins. Star forward Aliyah Boston also needs one more double-double to break the program set by Sheila Foster from 1979-82.

Here's everything you need to know about the matchup:

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Top five offense vs. No. 1 defense

Arkansas has one of the most versatile offenses in the SEC, currently ranking fourth and averaging 77.2 points per game. Four different players are averaging double-digit points, led by star forward Erryn Barnum. The 6-foot-2 senior ranks sixth in the conference, averaging 16 points and seven rebounds, and she is the SEC's most accurate shooter, hitting 61.1% from the field.

Keeping up that accuracy will be a major challenge against the Gamecocks' nation-leading defense. Opponents average 28.8% shooting from the field against South Carolina, and Mississippi State star Jessika Carter, the SEC's second-most accurate shooter, shot 45% in the Bulldogs' loss despite her season average of 57.6%.

Explaining Razorbacks' inconsistencies

Arkansas is a team of highs and lows: It took the Razorbacks a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat Vanderbilt, the last-place team in the conference; but they also gave No. 3 LSU its biggest scare of the season in a 79-76 loss. They were also blown out 69-45 in their first meeting with LSU but went 2-1 against ranked opponents during non-conference play.

The Razorbacks seem to play to their opponent's level, and while matching South Carolina is a tall task, the Gamecocks have seen lesser teams rise to the occasion throughout SEC play. The reigning national champions trailed for at least a quarter against SEC No. 9 Georgia and No. 7 Mississippi State, and they fell behind by double-digits in the first half before ultimately beating Kentucky by 29.

Competing for the paint

With its overwhelming size, the paint is where South Carolina has thrived this season. Among Power Five programs, the Gamecocks are the No. 2 rebounding team in the nation, second only to LSU, and they outpace opponents by an average of 20.8 rebounds per game. Though Arkansas isn't quite nationally competitive, the Razorbacks are above average on the boards with Barnum and guard Saylor Poffenbarger combining for an average of 14.5 per game.

There's really no keeping the Gamecocks out of the paint on offense without the height to match Boston and Kamilla Cardoso, so the Razorbacks can look to the dribble drives that worked for Mississippi State and Kentucky to move faster guards around the bigs. Outside shots also provide opportunities, but Arkansas is average on 3-pointers shooting 31.9% this season.

Prediction

South Carolina 80, Arkansas 63: Arkansas puts up a fight for a quarter or two, but South Carolina's depth puts the Razorbacks on their heels coming off of two down-to-the-wire matchups. The Gamecocks hit cruise control for a record-tying 26th straight win.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina women's basketball score prediction vs. Arkansas