Short-handed Hogs win exhibition

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas, playing with only eight scholarship players, finally put away an energetic Central Oklahoma team 78-66 Friday night in Walton Arena before an estimated 4,052 fans.

The Razorbacks were without freshman Darious Hall (concussion protocol) and seniors Dustin Thomas (violation of team rules) and Arlando Cook (suspended) along with freshman Khalil Garland (medical) and sophomore Jalen Harris (redshirt transfer).

“We were shorthanded and I thought it really had an effect on the game,” coach Mike Anderson said. “I thought our guys kind of wore down.

“Darious, I think it was probably two or three days ago he bumped heads with somebody in practice and was a little woozy. We held him out as a precaution. In terms of Dustin Thomas, he’s a guy that’s going to miss these games here and possibly three more. … Cook’s situation is still pending. We’re just waiting until the law takes its course.”

Of Thomas, Anderson said, “You’re a fifth-year senior. I think you should know. You put your heart and soul (into it), you worked hard to get to this point and I think you let down your team.”

Senior guards Jaylen Bradford, Daryl Mason and Anton Beard scored in double figures. Macon led with 23 points, adding five assists and three rebounds. Barford had 19 points, six assists and five rebounds while Beard added 12 points, three assists and two steals.

“I was trying to get my teammates involved,” Barford said.

Anderson talked about Arkansas’ performance, his first chance to see his team against another squad’s players.

“It wasn’t very fluid like I want it to be, especially in the first half,” Anderson said. “We made some shots in the second half, but I wasn’t very satisfied with our defense. I thought we were just trying to play more with offense. In the second half, our defense became our offense and that first three minutes was pretty good basketball with our defense revving up what we were doing.”

True freshman Daniel Gafford scored 23 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in the Red-White game. He had eight points and seven rebounds, plus a team-high three steals, in 15 minutes against the Bronchos.

“I think once he got comfortable and started playing his game he affected it a lot,” Barford said. “He brought a lot of energy out there getting rebounds and altering shots. I think once he gets comfortable he will be all right.”

Said Anderson: “Daniel looked like a typical freshman in the first half, but in the second half, I thought we saw him impose his will out there on the floor. He’s relentless. The only thing that has to get better for him is at the free-throw line (Gafford went two for six).”

Arkansas led 45-35 at intermission, making seven of 12 from three-point range, and scored seven straight in the first 2:18 of the second half. Central Oklahoma pulled within six, 72-66, before Macon added four points and Barford two in the last 1:25.

Trey Thompson led the Hogs with eight rebounds and totaled four points, two assists, one block and a steal. Adrio Bailey also got the starting spot with Thompson inside. He added four points, seven rebounds, two assists, one block and a steal.

Central Oklahoma coach Tom Hankins was complimentary of the Razorbacks and Anderson.

“Arkansas obviously wasn’t at full strength,” Hankins said. “We didn’t that 100-percent from them because they were limited on scholarship players.”

The Bronchos were led by Marqueese Grayson with 16 points while Corbin Byford added 12 and Jordan London 11. Byford had eight rebounds.

Arkansas plays Missouri Western in a Walton Arena exhibition at 7 p.m. Friday.