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Gafford’s 27 points paces Hogs over Hoosiers in Sunday matchup

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Daniel Gafford had a career-high 25 points and tied his career-high with 12 rebounds to lead Arkansas to a 73-72 victory over Indiana on Sunday afternoon at Bud Walton Arena.

With the game tied at 72 with 2.5 seconds left in the game, Mason Jones, who scored 11 with seven assists and no turnovers, made a free throw to give the Razorbacks a one-point lead.

After an Indiana timeout, Jones missed the second free throw on purpose and Indiana’s last-second, full-court heave missed to give the Razorbacks the win.

Arkansas led by three, 72-69, after a Gafford free throw with 1:41 left in the game. Indiana committed a turnover on the ensuing possession and Jones was fouled.

The sophomore missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Hoosier guard Rob Phinisee got the rebound and drained a 3-pointer on the other end to tie the game at 72 with 48 seconds left.

Arkansas missed a jumper with 21 seconds left and Indiana grabbed the rebound. The Hoosiers got two cracks to win the game before Jones came down with a defensive rebound, was fouled and secured the win with his free throw.

In the first half, the teams were deadlocked most of the period with five points being the largest lead held by either team. With the game tied at 35 with 28 seconds left, sophomore Gabe Osabuohien made his first collegiate 3-pointer to give the Razorbacks and a 38-35 lead at the break.

Arkansas is now 126-7 in the Mike Anderson era when leading at the half.

In the second half, Gafford blocked a shot on Indiana’s first possession and capped a 7-0 run to start the second half with a dunk to give the Razorbacks a 10-point lead (45-35) and force an early Hoosier timeout.

Indiana went on a run of its own and took a one-point lead (54-53) with 10:50 left. However, Gafford answered with a jumper.

The Hoosiers took another one-point lead (58-57) with 8:50 remaining only to see Gafford once again answer to give his squad the lead. Indiana grabbed another one-point lead (66-65) with 4:55 to go in the game but Gafford was up to the challenge by making a lay-up.

Gafford then got a steal, which resulted in a Jones lay-up for a 69-66 Razorback advantage.

The Hoosiers tied the game (69-69) with a 3-pointer with 2:16 remaining. Arkansas worked the clock and Jalen Harris found Adrio Bailey for a lay-up with three seconds on the shot clock for a two-point advantage.

Gafford expanded the lead to three with his free throw with 1:41 left to set up the exciting finish.

Arkansas will stay home to host Montana State on Wednesday (Nov. 21) in the Razorbacks’ third game of the Hardwood Showcase. Tip-off is set for 7 pm at Bud Walton Arena.

FIRST HALF NOTES: Arkansas 38 – Indiana 35

• Down five (14-9), Arkansas’ bench – and its defense – sparked an 8-0 run to go up 17-9. Daniel Gafford had two blocks during the run and capped it with a dunk.

• The Razorbacks did not surrender the lead, but Indiana matched them, tying the game at 27-27, 29-29 and 35-35. Isaiah Joe and Mason Jones hit back-to-back 3’s for the Razorbacks to keep them on top.

• After Indiana called timeout and tied the game at 39-39 with a jumper in the lane, Razorback sophomore Gabe Osabuohien drained his first career 3-pointer with 28 ticks left to give Arkansas a 38-35 lead at the break.

SECOND HALF NOTES:

• Arkansas once again used its defense to spur a run as it opened the second half with a 7-0 start to go up 10 (45-35) and force an Indiana timeout. Daniel Gafford had a blocked shot on the Hoosiers’ first possession and later ran the floor on the break for a dunk and the 10-point lead.

• Three times in the second half, Indiana took a one-point lead and Gafford immediately answered each time.

• Daniel Gafford made 9-of-10 shots and scored 19 points with seven rebounds in the second half alone.

GAME NOTES:

• Game was telecast nationally on ESPN.

• Arkansas starters were Isaiah Joe (G) – Jalen Harris (G) – Mason Jones (G) – Adrio Bailey (F) – Daniel Gafford (F).

• Arkansas controlled the tip, but Indiana’s Rob Phinisee scored the basket on an Arkansas goaltending. Daniel Gafford immediately answered with a short jumper.

• Arkansas led 38-35 at halftime. In the Mike Anderson era, Arkansas is 126-7 in games it leads at the half, including 41 consecutive victories.

• Arkansas is 2-1 all-time versus Indiana. This was the first time Arkansas has ever played Indiana in Fayetteville.

• Jalen Harris hit his first 3-pointer as a Razorback at the 15:51 mark of the first half to cut the deficit to one, 7-6.

• Gabe Osabuohien made his first career 3-pointer, connecting with 28 seconds left in the first half for a 38-35 lead at the break.

• Mason Jones is the first Razorback to play at least 35 minutes and record at least seven turnovers while committing no turnovers. The last Razorback to accomplish the feat was Julyses Nobles, who played 35 minutes with seven assists and no turnovers on Jan. 8, 2012.

• Arkansas’ final two games as part of the Hardwood Showcase including hosting Montana State (Nov. 21) and UT Arlington (Nov. 23).

Anderson pleased with team’s performance in win over Indiana

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas coach Mike Anderson found several areas he liked in Sunday’s win over the Hoosiers, including the play of Daniel Gafford and Mason Jones down the stretch.

Jones, Gafford on Razorbacks’ win over Indiana on Sunday

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas players Mason Jones and Daniel Gafford talked with the media after the 73-72 win over the Hoosiers on Sunday at Bud Walton Arena.

Hoosiers’ Miller impressed with Gafford in Hogs’ 73-72 win Sunday

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Indiana coach Archie Miller talked after the game about the problems Razorbacks center Daniel Gafford posed for his team in Sunday’s game where Gafford score 27 points.

Tolefree’s 22 paces Razorbacks in closs loss to No. 22 Arizona State

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas junior Alexis Tolefree paced the Razorbacks in scoring for the third consecutive game, dropping in 22 points in an 88-85 loss to No. 22 Arizona State in Bud Walton Arena on Sunday night.

ASU led by as many as 10 points in the second half, but Arkansas kept battling back to keep the game close. The Sun Devils had a nine-point lead, 84-75, with 1:31 to go in the game but Chelsea Dungee drained a 3-pointer to close the gap. Dungee finished with 20 points in 24 minutes.

Junior Kiara Williams followed with a put back basket to close within four points, 84-80. Arkansas fouled on the defensive end, and ASU made just one of the bonus shots.

Senior Malica Monk grabbed the rebound on the miss and junior Jailyn Mason put in the fast-break layup making it a three-point game with 18 seconds to play.

Arkansas was forced to foul, and ASU made the next two free throws. Dungee finished with a layup off a missed shot for the final score.

Tolefree (22) and Dungee (20) were joined in double figures by Monk with 13 points and Mason with 11 points. Arkansas was at a significant height disadvantage and ASU outrebounded the Razorbacks 43-35. The Sun Devils scored 44 points in the paint and got 42 bench points.

Key Stat

Arkansas won the fourth quarter for the third game in a row. The Razorbacks outscored the Sun Devils, 23-19, in the final 10 minutes hitting nine shots from the floor including two of their six 3-pointers. Arkansas was 3-for-6 from the line in the final frame.

Notes

• Arkansas starters: Alexis Tolefree, Malica Monk, Kiara Williams, Jailyn Mason, Chelsea Dungee

• Arkansas is 1-2 against Arizona State. Arkansas lost to ASU in Arizona by 45 points last year.

• Arkansas took 29 of 32 first half shots before the shot clock reached 15 seconds.

Up Next

The Razorbacks hit the road taking part in the Music City Thanksgiving Tournament in Nashville, Tennessee, Nov. 23-25.

Arkansas faces Tennessee State, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin in consecutive games with 7:30 p.m. tips. The Razorbacks return home hosting Oral Roberts on Nov. 28.

Neighbors pleased with improvement of Hogs against Arizona State

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors called Sunday night’s 88-85 loss to No. 22 Arizona State at Bud Walton a moral victory and a positive heading to games in Nashville.

Tolefree, Dungee positive after close loss to Sun Devils on Sunday

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas players Alexis Tolefree and Chelsee Dungee talked with the media after losing to Arizona State, 88-85, on Sunday night, but they were positive about the team’s play.

Thorne praises Razorbacks’ improvement from last year’s game

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arizona State coach Charli Turner Thorne talked with the media after beating the Razorbacks on Sunday night, but the game was a lot closer than last year’s blowout.

KNWA VIDEO: Arkansas players after loss to Mississippi State

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Video courtesy of KNWA

Razorbacks Armon Watts, Dre Greenlaw and Ty Storey talking with the media after the 52-6 loss to the Bulldogs on Saturday in a performance that pleased none of them.

Hogs’ performance against ’Dogs unacceptable to everybody

Andy Hodges
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If your opinion of Arkansas being on the wrong end of a 52-6 tail-kicking in Starkville on Saturday is not acceptable, well, Chad Morris is right there with you.

“Unacceptable in all areas,” a grim-faced Morris started with his postgame comments. “Unacceptable coaching. Unacceptable playing. Unacceptable effort.”

You got the idea watching him this may be an interesting last week of the season.

“Not what we’re about,” he said. “Not what this program’s going to be built on. It’s absolutely not acceptable.”

The reason I got the idea it may be an interesting week is what came next.

“We’re going to find out,” he said. “We’re in a big gut-check time right now.”

The loss is by far the worst-looking performance this Razorback team has had all season. Mississippi State came into the game ranked No. 21 and looked every bit of that, but this team has already played Alabama and LSU without looking quite as inept.

“Obviously, we had some opportunities,” Morris said. “We were unable to execute. That’s the biggest thing. Just a lack of execution. Drops, had guys open and couldn’t get it, had a touchdown, get a touchdown called back, got guys running open … just a lack of execution.”

Morris looked and acted like someone who was completely blindsided by the performance and didn’t see it coming at all.

“Absolutely not,” he said. “Not one time. We had really good workouts, our energy level has been high, our attitude had been great.”

He was asked how he would address it in the postgame and you got the idea he knew, but wasn’t ready to tell anyone else.

“We’re gonna find out,” he said. “it’s a gut-check. It’s going to take a special person to come back in here tomorrow and put their best foot forward. If you don’t have that, it’s okay, but don’t show back up.

“From coaching, to playing, to equipment, to training, it’s everything.”

In the second half, defensive coordinator John Chavis came out of the pressbox to the field.

“More than anything so (the players) could see the urgency in his eyes and his voice,” Morris said.

There were plays open. Quarterback Ty Storey was wide open for a pass, but De’Vion Warren short-armed it, which was just one of the myriad of problems for him all day long as he dropped a wide open crossing route later that would have either gotten a touchdown or pretty close to it.

“You have to make plays at any level,” Morris said. “You have to execute. You get a call, you practice the call, continue to rep it … I don’t think De’Vion said, ‘Hey, I’m going to drop this ball.’ Without a doubt he didn’t say that. But you have to execute and we’re just not executing.”

He said he wasn’t upset.

“I’m disappointed,” he said. “The steps we’ve been taking, this is just unacceptable, you know, in all areas.”

That was the defining word for this game. Morris was asked later about some of the defensive starters coming out before the game to try and exchange information with State’s cheerleaders, but he wasn’t addressing.

“Unacceptable,” was the answer the rest of the way for the last couple of questions.

It does bring up questions about what may be the biggest issue Morris has not been able to overcome this season and it’s a lack of self-discipline within the program he inherited.

Oh, it’s fairly certain that issue will be addressed by Morris and the staff.

After five years of things that you hear about, see and then wonder about, maybe Morris discovered that was the biggest problem of all in this program.

This team hasn’t had a lot of senior leadership. That’s not to say a couple have taken on that role, but it takes more than one or two. There hasn’t been a lot of internal accountability for five years so you didn’t think it would happen immediately, did you?

It hasn’t and that has led to wild swings in what we’ve seen on the field this season. For example, how can a team that looked decent against LSU turn around and stink it up against Mississippi State?

It appears that’s the same question Morris and the staff have, too.

As we said, that may make for an interesting week before closing it out against Missouri on Friday.

It also might be a different-looking team, too.

KNWA VIDEO: Morris after loss to Bulldogs

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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VIDEO COURTESY OF KNWA

Arkansas coach Chad Morris on “unacceptable” performance against Mississippi State on Saturday in the Hogs’ 52-6 loss.

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