Daryl Macon’s first season at Arkansas was certainly a memorable one.
The 6-3 guard from Little Rock was a natural in Mike Anderson’s “Fastest 40” style in pushing the pace and contributing a constant stream of scoring.
This season, he’ll be expected to play an even bigger role for an experienced Razorback team that lost two of its top four scorers. Dusty Hannahs averaged 14.4 per game in his final season in Fayetteville, while big man Moses Kingsley added 12 per contest.
For Arkansas to get back to the NCAA Tournament, Macon and fellow backcourt star Jaylen Barford will need to continue their rise.
Inside the Numbers
Macon’s 13.4 points per game were impressive, but it was his consistency that stood out most.
He hit double figures in scoring in 27 games last season, which included a 30-point outburst against Ole Miss in mid-February.
An even more important stat?
Macon went 30-of-34 from the free-throw line in the final minute of games. He knocked down plenty of them in clutch moments for the Razorbacks (on a 86.6 percent average for the season), and it’ll surprise no one to see him in that same situation again this year.
Lovell’s Analysis
There is no doubt that Arkansas’s senior depth will play a big role in its ability to finish in the top half of the SEC.
But while some of those seniors will still need time to develop, Macon is more than ready to put both the leadership and scoring load on his back.
Even with Barford playing an equally large role in the team’s success, there’s little doubt that everything will run through Macon due to his position on the court.
He’ll be a scorer, a facilitator, and a coach on the floor for the Razorbacks. His continued development in those areas should allow him an opportunity to play at the next level.
But first, his main priority is to be the clutch player that Arkansas fans saw last season.
And with help around him, that could allow Macon to the Hogs in position for a second straight NCAA Tournament berth.