RAZORBACKS
Gafford owns up to Western Kentucky defeat
FAYETTEVILLE — Before media on Thursday, Arkansas sophomore center Daniel Gafford addressed moments in last week’s loss to Western Kentucky in which he felt he and his team could have better performed.
Gafford scored on a layup with 40 seconds left in the game a week ago at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville to give Arkansas (6-2) its first lead of the second half since the 15:41 mark in the second half.
Western Kentucky (5-4) answered with the game-winning basket on the other end. Marek Nelson’s open layup with 19 seconds left gave the Hilltoppers the decisive 78-77 advantage.
Nelson was open because Arkansas junior forward Adrio Bailey abandoned him to help Gafford, who fell while guarding Charles Bassey, Western Kentucky’s star freshman big man. Gafford was asked Thursday if he lost his balance or if he had been hooked by Bassey’s arm.
“It probably was a little bit of both,” Gafford said. “I just know in that situation I need to be strong, just stay on my feet. Because if I would have stayed on my feet they never would have gotten that basket on the backside, because ‘Dro (Bailey) had to come help me when I fell on the ground.
“The moral of the story is I just have to stay on my feet and stay solid on defense. Because situations like that can cost us games, and that’s what it did.”
Gafford said the defender cannot bank on a foul call by the referee, especially since the game was short one official. A two-man crew called the game after one official
was examined for possible injuries following an automobile accident en route to the game.
“He hooked me a little bit, but we only had two refs,” Gafford said. “I wasn’t expecting to see that foul anyway.”
The battle between Gafford and Bassey attracted 13 NBA scouts, and it lived up to its billing. Bassey (6-11, 245) logged 21 points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots.
Gafford (6-11, 233) scored 17 points with nine rebounds and two blocks.
“He was a real big guy,” Gafford said Thursday of Bassey. “You know, just going against a guy like that, you get tired quick because you know you trying to battle with him on the inside and you know with him being just a freshman, he has a lot of potential. He’s going to be a great player.”
Gafford was asked if it has felt like a long week coming off of a tough loss. Arkansas had no midweek game as the university concluded semester exams.
“Well, the main thing we’re trying to do is get that taste out of our mouths,” Gafford said. “It was a tough loss. We’re trying to focus on getting better each and every day. We’ve got finals and we’ve got practice so just trying to balance both of them out, but it’s still a work in progress. We’re tagging along with it.”
Head coach Mike Anderson said the defense has not rested since the Razorbacks allowed the Hilltoppers to shoot 29 of 58, 50 percent, even with players in and out of practice due to finals.
“Defense has been a main focal point of practice this week,” Gafford said. “Certain possessions throughout the stretch we played Western Kentucky, we just didn’t guard well.
“I didn’t protect the basket. They were attacking the lane too easily and I was getting buried in the post. We have to fix those things.”
Offensively, the Razorbacks netted but 10 assists after tallying 28 in a 98-74 victory on Dec. 5 at Colorado State (5-5). Sophomore point guard Jalen Harris made 12 assists in Fort Collins, Colo., against the Rams and accounted for seven of the 10 assists a week ago.
“Most of the possessions we had, it was just sticking in one person’s hands,” Gafford said. “Like coach said, we didn’t have that many assists. We had like 10 assists and one guy had seven.
“So, that lets you know the ball stuck in one person’s hands and we didn’t move on offense as much. We have to move the ball where we get good cuts. If we don’t move the ball, our offense gets stuck.”
A desire to erase last week’s effects should have the Hogs inspired. So should Saturday’s venue in North Little Rock, which is closer to several of the players’ hometowns, including Gafford’s home of El Dorado.
“It means a lot to me,” Gafford said. “I get family, friends to come up there. Basically, half of El Dorado is gonna be up there.”
Gafford how fans filled Verizon Arena a year ago when Arkansas routed Troy, 88-63.
“The atmosphere was crazy last year,” Gafford said. “It never stopped. It was just like it blew the roof off the building.
“As soon as tip-off, you could feel it and feed off that energy. It was like everyone in there was ready to watch Razorback basketball.”