The two-headed monster of Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford proved to be too much for Texas A&M to handle, as Arkansas cruised to a 94-75 win at Bud Walton Arena.
The senior guard tandem of Macon and Barford combined for 41 points and knocked down eight 3-pointers.
In the game preview, we mentioned another player that would need to make an impact for the Razorbacks – freshman Daniel Gafford. He did just that, and played a big role in the outcome of this one.
Gafford had 18 points and six rebounds, while also adding a couple of blocks. He was a force inside, and needed to be against the Aggies’ overwhelming size.
Texas A&M had excellent production from its starters scoring, who scored 67 of the team’s 75 points, but the lack of production elsewhere really showed in this game.
Another player we talked about in the preview was DJ Hogg, who had a night to forget in being held scoreless in 30 minutes of action.
Texas A&M has to get production from Hogg going forward, as the lack of depth at the guard position is exposed with the loss of Duane Wilson.
This game was never close as Arkansas had an 11-point lead at half and outscored the Aggies by eight in the second half.
Arkansas had elite level offense in shooting 50 percent from the field and making 10 shots from beyond the arc.
X Factor: Daniel Gafford
Gafford has played a huge role for Arkansas since he is the only consistent inside scoring threat, which we knew could be the case after the exit of Moses Kingsley.
In this game, Gafford had multiple dunks and was a force defensively with the two blocked shots.
He was an absolute stud inside, which opened up the floor for Macon and Barford to get the shots that they wanted.
Difference Maker: Rebounding
In the previous meeting between the two teams, Texas A&M dominated the boards in grabbing a 45-30 advantage in total rebounds.
However, this time around, Arkansas won the rebounding battle by 12. Gafford, Darious Hall, and the whole team rebounded as one unit, which will be key to this team’s success going forward.
Outrebounding a Texas A&M team that’s led by Robert Williams and Tyler Davis isn’t easy to do.
What’s Next?
Texas A&M
The Aggies return home to face a Mississippi State squad that just took care of business against Ole Miss on Saturday.
The Bulldogs will be looking for another quality win on the road to try and stay in the NCAA Tournament discussion.
Arkansas
The Razorbacks will stay at the friendly confines of Bud Walton Arena to face a rejuvenated Kentucky team, who is coming off an impressive victory over Alabama.
Now that the Wildcats have snapped their four-game losing streak, they should be able to build some momentum in a game that should provide plenty of scoring.