A.J. Lawson scored 19 points and visiting South Carolina never trailed in a 79-77 Southeastern Conference victory at Arkansas on Wednesday night in Fayetteville, Ark.

Arkansas had a chance to win at the final buzzer but Isaiah Joe's 3-point attempt from the left corner hit the rim and bounced away.

Mason Jones scored 34 points -- 26 in the second half -- and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds for the the Razorbacks (15-5, 3-4 SEC), who lost for the third time in four games. Joe, who had been listed as questionable for the game due to knee inflammation, added 16 points.

Jair Bolden scored 12 points, Trae Hannibal had 11 and Maik Kotsar added 10 points and nine rebounds for the Gamecocks (12-8, 4-3), who won for the fourth time in five games.

Both teams struggled from the free-throw line. South Carolina sank only 17 of 33 (51.5 percent) and Arkansas was 26 of 40 (65 percent).

Jones drove to the basket and was fouled by the 6-foot-11 Kotsar -- his fifth foul -- with 28.5 seconds left. The Razorbacks guard sank two free throws to pull Arkansas within 78-77.

South Carolina's Jermaine Couisnard then hit one of two free throws with 25.9 seconds showing to make it a two-point game.

On Arkansas' ensuing possession, South Carolina defended Jones strongly before the ball was knocked out of bounds. The Razorbacks then inbounded the ball, setting up Joe's miss at the buzzer.

Five straight free throws, four by Jones, pulled Arkansas within 65-63 with 6:49 left.

Arkansas opened the second half with an 8-2 run that tied the score at 40. Jones scored five points, and his three-point play tied it with 18:38 remaining.

The Gamecocks then scored 13 of the next 17 points -- including a four-point play by Bolden -- to go ahead 53-44 with 15:52 to go.

South Carolina never trailed and led by as many as 11 points during the first 20 minutes while taking a 38-32 halftime lead.

Lawson scored 10 points and Kotsar added eight before the break for the Gamecocks, who shot 57.1 percent (16 of 28) and outscored Arkansas in the paint 22-10.

Joe scored 10 points for the Razorbacks, who shot 32.3 percent overall (10 of 31) and hit just 4 of 16 from 3-point territory in the opening 20 minutes.

--Field Level Media