Gafford slams home third SEC weekly honor of season

FAYETTEVILLE — Leading Arkansas to two double-digit victories last week at Ole Miss and against No. 21 Texas A&M, Daniel Gafford earned his third career SEC Freshman of the Week honor from the league office Monday morning.

Gafford joins NBA players Bobby Portis and Patrick Beverley as the only Razorbacks to earn the honor three times and is the only player in the league to claim the honor three times this season.

Gafford led Arkansas in scoring last week, averaging 18.5 points per game, going a combined 13-of-15 (.867) from the floor. At Ole Miss, he finished with a team-high 19 points on 6-of-7 shooting to go along with six rebounds. Against No. 21 Texas A&M, Gafford shot 7-of-8 from the floor for 18 points, six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal.

The El Dorado, Arkansas, native is shooting 62.3 percent from the field this season, ranking fourth among all freshmen in the country, including 32nd overall in the nation. In SEC play alone, Gafford ranks third in field-goal percentage, shooting 61.1 percent (69-113).

Averaging 12.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game against SEC teams, Gafford has scored in double-figures in 10 of his 14 career conference games. The big man is responsible for 54 of Arkansas’ 97 dunks this year, more than four SEC teams.

Arkansas hosts the Kentucky Wildcats for Super Tuesday on ESPN tomorrow night at 8 p.m. in a sold-out Bud Walton Arena.