Gafford named SEC Player of the Week.
FAYETTEVILLE - For his monster game in Arkansas’ 73-72 Sunday victory over the prestigious Indiana Hoosiers Sunday at Walton Arena, Arkansas Razorbacks center Daniel Gafford has been named the SEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week.
The SEC office announced Gafford’s honor Monday in Birmingham, Ala.
Gafford, the 6-11 preseason All-SEC sophomore from El Dorado, compiled a nice game with with 12 points and four rebounds and four shot blocks, though committing six turnovers, in Arkansas’ 81-58 victory over the University of CaliforniaDavis on Nov.12 at Walton Arena, but netted the honor for double-doubling on the Hoosiers scoring a career-high 27 points and matching a career-high 12 rebounds while blocking three shots, making two steals and only committing three turnovers.
Gafford shot 9-for-10 from the field in the second half against Indiana and all three times during the second half that the Hoosiers took a 1-point lead, Gafford answered with a go-ahead bucket.
“This time, I let the game come to me instead of just trying to take it,” Gafford said of producing more points and rebounds with less turnovers. “Letting the game come to you goes more smooth. It just came smooth and came out of nowhere because every time I would touch the ball, I would either miss and get the rebound or I would go up and get a foul.”
Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said Gafford dominated the game from start to finish.
“What can you say about Daniel?” Anderson said postgame. “He played his tail off on both ends of the floor starting the game off with a blocked shot that enabled us to get a basket at the other end.”
Anderson said the Hogs recognized their meal ticket was dealing from a hot hand.
“I thought our guys did a good job of really identifying and getting the ball to him,” Anderson said. “He was determined to make plays. He had the mismatch. We had those guys
(Indiana forwards Juwan Morgan and Jerome Langford) in foul trouble, so our strategy was to get it into him, and then guys play off of him. It was good to see him step up and answer the call. … He had a tremendous game. Not only offensively, but defensively as well.”
Gafford impressed Indiana coach Archie Miller.
“Daniel Gafford was a really, really tough handle for us today,” Miller said. “He pretty much neutralized the game at any point in time, and he was dominant.”
The Razorbacks, 2-1, have a busy Thanksgiving week at Walton hosting Montana State at 7 p.m. Wednesday and the University of Texas-Arlington at 7 p.m. Friday.
Both games, on the Razorbacks’ radio network, will not be televised over the air but will be video available via the Internet on SEC+.