Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Missouri’s quality big men to test rolling Gafford
COLUMBIA, Mo. — A few minutes before 6-11 freshman Daniel Gafford came through with a dominating performance for the Arkansas Razorbacks against Auburn at Walton Arena on Tuesday night, Missouri freshman big men Jontay Porter and Jeremiah Tilmon put the finishing touches on their impressive play to help the Tigers take care of Vanderbilt.
The 6-11 Porter had 24 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, and the 6-10 Tilmon had 9 points, 6 rebounds and
2 blocked shots to lead Missouri to a 74-66 victory over the Commodores in Nashville, Tenn.
Gafford had 21 points, 10 rebounds and 7 blocked shots as the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville took down No. 14 Auburn 91-82.
“I’m an option, a threat on the inside,” Gafford said on Arkansas’ postgame radio show. “I had to take advantage, because when I’m on, I don’t think anybody can guard me.”
The three impact freshmen will be together on the same court at 5 p.m. today when the Razorbacks (21-9, 10-7 SEC) take on the Tigers (19-11, 9-8) at Mizzou Arena.
“The Porter kid is a tough matchup because he’s not only a guy that can go inside, he can step outside and really shoot the basketball well,” Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said. “Tilmon is a force. He’s a big, strong, athletic kid.
“So we have to make sure we get those guys [running] up and down the floor and not just let them take over the paint. That’s where it’s going to be won — in the paint.”
Gafford has been winning in the paint for much of the season, but particularly during the Razorbacks’ run of six victories in their past seven games.
Over the seven-game span, Gafford is averaging 15.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots. For the season, he’s averaging 11.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots.
“He’s changing before our eyes,” Anderson said. “I think he’s no longer a freshman anymore. His confidence is real, real high. I think he’s worked extremely hard. He came up here this summer and just worked. He’s a sponge. He listens. He’s coachable.”
Gafford led the Razorbacks with 15 points when they beat Missouri 65-63 at Walton Arena on Jan. 13, but Tigers Coach Cuonzo Martin said he’s improved significantly since then — especially on offense.
In the past seven games Gafford has hit 41 of 67 shots (61.2 percent), including 10 of 15 in the victory over Auburn.
“He’s gotten a lot better from the first time we played him, just in his ability to score around the post, a variety of moves,” Martin said. “He’s athletic. He runs. He jumps. He’s mobile.”
Martin said Gafford’s impact on defense is impressive, too, and not just as a rim protector.
“He can guard on the perimeter against smaller guys — and obviously he can guard big guys — and when that happens that means they can switch a lot of different things,” Martin said. “They don’t skip a beat when he’s guarding a perimeter guy.”
Gafford has 64 blocked shots.
“You might beat a guy and all of a sudden he’s there to block a shot or alter a shot,” Martin said. “You have to give him a lot of credit for doing a lot of things.”
Seven of Gafford’s baskets against Auburn were dunks, giving him 65 of the Razorbacks’ 110 this season. Gafford has more dunks than six SEC teams. Missouri as a team has 73.
“A long time ago, I was told by a great basketball player, he said, ‘Have the mentality every time you go to the basket to dunk on somebody,’ ” Gafford said on Arkansas’ postgame radio show. “If you do that, they’re going to get out of the way sooner or later, because they are going to be scared of you.”
Porter and Tilmon both fouled out when Missouri played at Arkansas. Porter had 5 points, 3 rebounds and 3 turnovers in 24 minutes. Tilmon had 4 points, 4 rebounds and 3 turnovers in 18 minutes.
Porter and Tilmon have played more consistently since then. Porter is averaging 9.5 points and 6.7 rebounds, and Tilmon is averaging 8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds.
“I think it’s going to be a good matchup,” Anderson said of Gafford facing Porter and Tilmon. “But I think it’s not necessarily just Daniel going against those guys. I think it’s going to be the Razorbacks playing against those guys.”
Anderson said Arkansas’ other frontcourt players will be involved, including Dustin Thomas, Trey Thompson, Arlando Cook and Gabe Osabuohien.
But Martin understands it’s Gafford the Tigers must be the most concerned about stopping.
“His athleticism, jumping, tipped dunks, ball screen, rolling to the basket,” said Martin, listing the pluses to Gafford’s game. “His ability when you throw it into him to make plays, either shoulder, and score at the rim.
“With the way they score on the perimeter already, it just makes them that much tougher.”
Three times this season Gafford has been honored as SEC Freshman of the Week. The only other Razorbacks to do that have been Bobby Portis and Patrick Beverly, who are both playing in the NBA.
“Daniel’s a force to be reckoned with,” Arkansas senior guard Daryl Macon said. “I think he’s the best big man in the country. I haven’t seen anybody better than him when he comes to play.
“Most athletic, has heart, doesn’t give anything up easy. Every time he’s on the floor, he goes all out.”
Gafford has averaged 23.0 minutes the past seven games. He had 16 points, 9 rebounds and 7 blocked shots in 24 minutes against Vanderbilt; 19 points and 6 rebounds in 20 minutes at Ole Miss; 18 points and 6 rebounds in 28 minutes against Texas A&M; and he wore out Auburn on the inside in 27 minutes.
“His minutes have been down, but his productivity has been even better,” Anderson said. “Other guys are playing better, giving him more opportunity to really play quality minutes, as opposed to playing quantity minutes. You can play quantity minutes and not get a whole lot done.”
Gafford is getting it done in his minutes.
“That, to me, is just the learning curve for a young player, and he’s going to learn some more in this kind of environment, too,” Anderson said of today’s game. “Because I think they’re going to have a defense that’s really going to come after him.”
Anderson said Gafford has been doing a good job recognizing when the defense is focusing on him.
“People are doubling up on him,” Anderson said. “But understanding his role now, and other guys understanding their roles, you notice he’s catching the ball with a little more space.
“He’s doing a really good job, and I think he can play even better.”