Strong finish could erase weeks of frustration for Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas has a chance to make up for weeks of inconsistency.<br> <br> All the Razorbacks need is a little winning streak at the best possible time.<br> <br> ``I think everybody uses this line it&#39;s in a lot of ways a new season,&#39;&#39; coach Stan Heath said. ``We&#39;re starting to play a little bit better.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Arkansas is coming off back-to-back wins to end the regular season, and although that might not sound like much of an accomplishment, it&#39;s the Razorbacks&#39; longest winning streak of the season in Southeastern Conference play. Arkansas begins the SEC tournament Thursday against South Carolina, and the team&#39;s NCAA tournament hopes are a bit less far-fetched than a week ago.<br> <br> When Arkansas lost to Tennessee at home Feb. 24, the Razorbacks were in dire straits, and reports surfaced that coach Stan Heath would likely be dismissed if they didn&#39;t make the NCAA tournament. Point guard Gary Ervin says that talk affected the team.<br> <br> ``I think it sparked us a lot,&#39;&#39; Ervin said. ``He told us not to worry about it, but it&#39;s kind of hard to not pay attention.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Heath&#39;s job status is still simmering in the minds of fans but now, there&#39;s also a sense Arkansas might be capable of a run this week. The Razorbacks (18-12) head to Atlanta for the SEC tourney after beating Mississippi State at home and Vanderbilt on the road.<br> <br> To win the tournament, Arkansas will need four victories in four days, something the Razorbacks accomplished in 2000 for their only SEC tournament title. Arkansas is seeded third out of the SEC West.<br> <br> The Gamecocks (14-15) finished last in the SEC East, but they beat Arkansas 66-60 in January. Heath says his team can&#39;t look past the rematch.<br> <br> ``We definitely need to spend 100 percent of our time on South Carolina or we won&#39;t have a chance,&#39;&#39; Heath said.<br> <br> If the Razorbacks do advance, though, the rest of the tournament is set up reasonably well for them. Arkansas&#39; second game would be a rematch with Vanderbilt, and the Razorbacks wouldn&#39;t play No. 6 Florida until the final if at all.<br> <br> And although Arkansas might need an SEC tournament title to qualify for the NCAA tournament, that&#39;s not as certain as it once appeared. If the Razorbacks win two or three games this week, they could work their way into the conversation for an at-large bid.<br> <br> For now, Arkansas wants to focus on South Carolina.<br> <br> ``We&#39;re just going to stay humble and just come out there and just play our type of game,&#39;&#39; said guard Patrick Beverley, the team&#39;s leading scorer. ``We know they beat us, so we just want to get some payback.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> For many college basketball teams, conference tournaments are about second chances.<br> <br> Arkansas is no different.<br> <br> ``A lot of teams play good throughout the whole season. There&#39;s just some teams that just peak at the right time going into their tournament, into March,&#39;&#39; Ervin said. ``I think that&#39;s just something that we have done.&#39;&#39;