FAYETTEVILLE -- Two big plays by Arkansas guard Jaylen Barford and its big men playing big enabled Arkansas to repel Texas A&M 86-77 Wednesday night at Walton Arena.
A&M closed Arkansas' 10-point lead to 71-69 when Barford's three and ensuing steal and dunk gave Arkansas a comfortable cushion.
"That's the beauty of our basketball team," Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said. "On any given night it can be certain guys but for him to do it at crunch time that says a whole lot about him."
Enhancing their NCAA-tournament chances, the Razorbacks advance to 21-7 overall, 10-5 in the Southeastern Conference, before Saturday's road game with Auburn. Arkansas plays at Florida next week before ending the regular season March 4 against Georgia on Senior Day at Walton Arena.
The Aggies, led by Tyler Davis' 21 points, Robert Williams' 18 points and 11 rebounds and 6-4 guard Admon Gilder's 17 points, fell to 14-13 overall, though Anderson noticed a "tremendous difference" in the team that Arkansas edged 62-60 on Jan. 17 in College Station, Texas.
Davis, Tonny Trocha-Morelos 6-10 and Williams (6-9, 237, but agile as a gazelle) present an imposing front. Arkansas big men Moses Kingsley and Trey Thompson struggled with early first-half trouble.
"Gilder is taking charge and Davis, we had no answer for him," Anderson said. "And the Williams kid, this guy is jumping out of the lane blocking three-point shots! That's incredible! We had chances to put them away, particularly in the second half, but they just wouldn't go away."
Neither would Arkansas, especially with Kingsley and Thompson unleashed in the second half.
Thompson dished a team-high six assists and scored five points with three boards.
Kingsley, though only 3 of 14 against the big Aggies, nonetheless double-doubled with 10 points, all in the second half, and 10 rebounds (seven in the second half). Kingsley made four of four free throws in the second half as Arkansas, after going to the line just three times in the first half, shot 21 second-half free throws and finished 21 of 24.
"We certainly made a conscientious effort in the second half to attack the basket," Anderson said. "And so now you are talking about having the opportunity to shoot more free throws than they did and we made them. It was a drastic difference in the halves. I thought our guys were really engaged in the second half and our bench, which is our most important component, continues to play well."
Thompson said the attack mode came directly from the coach.
"Coach was on us about attacking and how they were attacking us and how they weren't in foul trouble," Thompson said. "He just told us to come out and attack and play aggressive."
Barford's 16 points led Arkansas' scoring with guards Manny Watkins, 13, Daryl Macon, 12, Dusty Hannahs, 11, and Kingsley all scoring double figures.
Dustin Thomas, Arkansas' burly 6-8 forward, played big with nine points and five boards and scored two key baskets ending the first half while fouls benched Kingsley and Thompson.
""I really thought he was big," Anderson said. "He is playing with a lot of great confidence right now. We are seeing him finishing around the basket, going and getting to the foul line, playing great defense."
With 13 points in the first 20 minutes, Gilder carried the Aggies in the first half that Arkansas led, 36-33.
With his second foul, Gilder missed the half's final 1:51 during which Thomas outscored A&M, 4-2 with buckets inside on a putback at 1:24 and layup with five seconds left.
Thomas ended a half that Arkansas led on the scoreboard but not in tempo.
"The first half was at their pace, just look at the score, 36-33" Anderson said. "That's favoring them. All of a sudden the game is 86-77. We got the game going in the direction we wanted it, too."
Arkansas' depth, playing 10 from seven minutes to Kingsley's 28, worked down the Aggies, whose starters logged 30, 32, 33, 35 and 35 minutes.
"This game comes down to players and I thought Arkansas had more than us in the second half," Aggie coach Billy Kennedy said. "Gilder tweaked his leg and was playing through something that and Arkansas' bodies, they just throw guys at you. I thought they wore us down."
Sports on 02/24/2017