Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Macon a good bet at free-throw line
FAYETTEVILLE — If the game is on the line, that’s where Arkansas wants Daryl Macon.
The junior guard from Little Rock has delivered in the clutch at the free-throw line again and again this season.
“I think it’s money, honestly,” guard Jaylen Barford said. “We just have the utmost confidence in him to make the free throws.”
Macon is shooting 87.9 percent from the line (102 of 116) going into tonight’s Arkansas-Texas A&M game in Walton Arena, but when the Razorbacks need free throws the most he’s been even better.
In Arkansas’ seven victories by eight or fewer points over Texas-Arlington, Texas, Tennessee, Texas A&M,
Vanderbilt, LSU and South Carolina — by an average of 4.1 points — Macon is 56 of 63 (88.9 percent).
During the last 2:30 of those games is when Macon has been at his best, hitting 28 of 29 (96.6 percent) of his free throws.
“I’ve got tunnel vision when I’m at the free-throw line,” Macon said. “I don’t hear anything. No fans yelling. I don’t hear the coaches. I don’t hear my teammates. It’s just, ‘I’ve got to hit this free throw.’
“Free throws are the most important thing in a game.”
Macon hit three free throws with 1.6 seconds left — and a crowd of 9,408 in Memorial Gym screaming at him — to lift the Razorbacks to a 71-70 victory at Vanderbilt and cap their rally from a 15-point deficit in the final 5:55.
“It was very impressive,” Commodores Coach Bryce Drew said. “When he stepped up and shot that first one, I was thinking, ‘That’s not a good sign,’ because he just showed no indication of any nerves that were going to make him miss the next two.
“That’s a credit to his preparation and mental toughness and what he does to really concentrate in pressure situations.”
Macon hit 14 of 14 free throws in Arkansas’ 77-74 victory over Texas, including two with 22 seconds left to put the Razorbacks ahead 77-71.
“The thing about Macon is he’s very, very aggressive, so he does a really good job of getting to the foul line,” Texas Coach Shaka Smart said. “Even in games where he might not have his outside shot going, as an opposing player or coach it just puts you in a tough spot when you have a guy you know is going to be aggressive, but you also know can go to the foul line and knock the shots down consistently.
“Defensively you have to make a decision about how aggressive you’re going to be in response to him driving and attacking, because the last thing you want to do is send him to the foul line 14 times like we did.”
Drew said players handle free throws differently.
“Sometimes you can make them all day in practice, but you can’t make them in a game,” he said. “Sometimes you can make them in the game, but the last two minutes you miss them.”
When Arkansas beat Texas A&M 62-60 earlier this season, Macon hit 9 of 12 free throws, including 5 of 6 in the final 2:26. He hit 8 of 8 free throws in the final 54 seconds of Arkansas’ 82-78 victory at Tennessee.
Macon hit 6 of 6 free throws in the final 2:30 at South Carolina to help the Razorbacks hang on to win 83-76. He shot 3 of 6 from the field and finished with 13 points.
“He didn’t have a big-time scoring game against us,” South Carolina Coach Frank Martin said. “But he made bigtime plays to help them beat us.”
Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said Macon works on his free throws before, during and after practice and has developed a consistent routine.
“He puts time in,” Anderson said. “That’s the biggest key.”
Macon said free throws have been a big part of his game for as long as he can remember.
“I’ve always loved to step up to the line and make free throws,” he said. “Even when I was small, I was a great freethrow shooter.
“I want the ball in my hands. I love to take those chances to try to win the game at the free throw line.”