Foul issues

Arkansas was called for 19 fouls, compared to 13 for North Carolina. The Razorbacks attempted eight free throws compared to the Tar Heels’ 21.

Foul trouble to key Arkansas players was an issue.

Senior guard Jaylen Barford sat the final 7:33 of the first half after picking up his second foul on a charging call. Freshman center Daniel Gafford played just three first-half minutes after picking up two fouls, then picked up his third and fourth in a 30-second span in the second half.

“We got some guys in foul trouble and I thought that kind of limited us,” Anderson said. “… There was a big-time disparity in fouls, so therefore they’re going to shoot free throws.”

Barford wound up playing a season-low 27 minutes, while Gafford was limited to just 15. Arkansas struggled when the pair went to the bench with fouls.

The Razorbacks went on 9-0 and 10-0 runs in the second half with Gafford on the floor. Earlier, North Carolina outscored Arkansas by eight the remainder of the first half after Barford went to the bench with his second foul, extending a three-point lead to 11, a double-digit margin the Tar Heels maintained until a late Arkansas run.

“It didn’t really take me out of rhythm,” Barford said. “I just knew I had to keep my head in the game and get ready for the second half,” Barford said. “I knew we was going to put up a fight. Just try to help my team win as much as possible and just keep a positive head on the bench.”