COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Gafford, Joe help Hogs sweep basketball exhibition games

Arkansas Southwest Baptist Friday, Nov. 2, 2018, during the first half of their exhibition game in Bud Walton Arena. Visit nwadg.com/photos to see more photographs from the game.
Arkansas Southwest Baptist Friday, Nov. 2, 2018, during the first half of their exhibition game in Bud Walton Arena. Visit nwadg.com/photos to see more photographs from the game.

FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas opponents might decide to employ a Hack-a-Gaff strategy if Razorbacks star forward Daniel Gafford keeps shooting free throws as he did in the preseason.

Gafford, a projected NBA draft first-round pick, hit 3 of 9 free throws in the Razorbacks' 100-63 victory over Southwest Baptist on Friday night in Walton Arena before an announced crowd of 6,194.

Including the Razorbacks' Red-White game and their 96-47 victory over Tusculum last week, Gafford is a combined 6 of 18 (33.3 percent) on free throws.

Gafford said at SEC media days last month that his goal is to hit at least 70 percent of his free throws after he shot 52.8 percent (85 of 161) last season.

"My main goal right now is to get better at free throws," Gafford said Friday night. "I can't have games where I'm missing like six free throws because those are free points and we need those."

Gafford did swish his last two free throws with 9:48 left against Southwest Baptist.

"I mean, it's got to be personal," Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson said of Gafford's free-throw shooting. "He's got a nice touch. He just has to get consistent. I think it's more in his head than anything else.

"He's got to get in the gym and continue to work. He works hard, but he's got to continue to work where it becomes second nature to him."

"A lot of what we do is going to go through him, and so he's got to be able to get up there and knock free throws down."

Excluding free-throw shooting, Gafford had a strong game as he finished with 17 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocked shots and 2 steals in 22 minutes. He was 7 of 13 from the field.

Isaiah Joe, a freshman guard from Fort Smith Northside, led the Razorbacks with 19 points. He hit 5 of 9 three-pointers and 4 of 4 free throws. Joe led Arkansas with 31 points in the Red-White game and 18 against Tusculum.

"Isaiah can shoot the ball," Gafford said. "He has a shot on him that basically is nothing but net every time he lets it go. He has that work ethic where he gets in the gym non-stop and he gets on the floor and he lets the game come to him. He doesn't try to go and take the game."

Arkansas sophomore guard Mason Jones, a transfer from Connors (Okla.) College, had 17 points, 4 steals and 3 rebounds in 22 minutes.

"I think he played the way he's capable of playing in practice," Anderson said. "He's going to be a big, big part of what we do. All of these guys are."

Arkansas freshman guard Keyshawn Emery-Simpson had 11 points; junior forward Adrio Bailey had 9 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals; and sophomore guard Jalen Harris had 7 points, 5 assists and 2 steals.

"I feel the preseason went pretty good for us," Gafford said. "There were some areas we could have done better on, but overall I think it went pretty good for us.

"We came out and did what we had to do. Both games we did alright in the first half and in the second half we came out and played Arkansas basketball."

Arkansas opens the regular season against Texas on Friday night in the Armed Forces Classic at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.

"Texas is an outstanding basketball team," Anderson said. "We just have to continue to get better. We'll find out more about ourselves. The exhibition season is over with, so now it's the real deal."

Anderson improved to 34-0 in exhibition games as a head coach as Alabama-Birmingham, Missouri and Arkansas, including 16-0 at Arkansas.

"I think you want to make sure you're teaching your players that any time you take the court, you play to win," Anderson said. "To me, that's the biggest thing, no matter who you play. You play to win. That's just a mindset."

Gafford said he'll be shooting plenty of free throws between now and the Texas game.

"My main thing is I just need to stay in the gym more and shoot more free throws," he said. "I need to get 100 in per day."

Anderson said he has confidence in Gafford to improve from the free-throw line.

"He's got to have the confidence in himself to get up there and step up and knock them down," Anderson said. "That is the key.

"It's early. Hopefully it'll get better."

Sports on 11/03/2018

Upcoming Events