FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas senior guard Daryl Macon was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week for the third time this season and the fourth time in his career on Monday.
The honor made Macon the first Razorback in program history to earn the award three times in a single season and four times in a career. The 2017-18 season is only his second in Fayetteville after transferring from Holmes Community College in Mississippi before his junior season.
Arkansas (15-6, 4-4) trailed Georgia (12-8, 3-5) by as many as 16 points, but fellow senior Jaylen Barford led a first-half comeback. Macon finished regulation with just nine points as the two teams went into overtime tied 63-63.
Macon scored 16 of Arkansas' 17 points in overtime to finish the game with a team-high 25 points. The 80-77 victory in Athens, Ga., was the team's first true road win of the season.
Arkansas trailed Oklahoma State (13-8, 3-5 in the Big 12) early in the first half Saturday at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville before Macon lifted the team off the bench. The Razorbacks trailed 24-11 before Macon scored 13 first-half points.
The senior finished with 22 points as the only Razorback player in double figures for the game. Arkansas escaped with a 66-65 win and helped give the conference a 6-4 advantage in this year's Big 12/SEC Challenge.
Macon shot 14-for-27 (51.9 percent) from the floor, 9-for-17 (52.9 percent) from distance and a perfect 10-for-10 at the free throw line during the two wins. The two 20-point performances improved his season total to eight and 11 in his career, including each of the last three games off the bench.
"I feel like I've got something to prove still," Macon said after Saturday's win. "I still have this chip on my shoulder."
Macon was a first-team National Junior College Athletic Association All-American after his first season at Holmes and third-team in his second. He was rated as the No. 3 junior college prospect in the nation. Barford, who transferred from Motlow State Community College in Tennessee, was ranked No. 1.
Barford currently leads Arkansas with 18.8 points per game. Macon ranks second with an average of 16.6 points after three straight games with more than 20 points.
Coach Mike Anderson opted to bring Macon off of the bench in those three games and four of the last five. The move has done nothing to change the perception of Macon as a leader.
"He's a starter," said Oklahoma State Mike Boynton. "I don't think coaches get into that as much. He is a really good player. He plays starter minutes.
"Whether he comes in off the bench or starts, he is going to play about the same and have the same opportunities. Maybe for their team, psychologically, it helps, but for us, in terms of preparation, it doesn't really make a difference."
After Macon shot 4-for-4 from at the free throw line in the two overtime periods at Georgia, he is a perfect 19-for-19 from the free throw line in the final minute of regulation and in overtime periods this season. In his career, he is 49-for-53, 92.5 percent.
Macon is the only Razorbacks player to rank in the top 10 of the SEC this season in 3-point field goal percentage (second at 43.1 percent), scoring (fourth at 16.6), free throw percentage (fifth at 86 percent), assists (eighth with four per game), and field goal percentage (ninth at 45.7 percent).
Sports on 01/30/2018