Arkansas Basketball won’t be having their best player in the NIT Tournament in Daniel Gadford after he declares for the 2019 NBA Draft. Now the young bigs will get more time on the court.
It has certainly been a rollercoaster ride for the Arkansas Razorbacks this season, one that many consider to be a disappointment in year eight of the Mike Anderson era. The Hogs finished the regular season 17-15 overall (8-10, 9th SEC) and had to settle for an NIT berth, where they were awarded a 5 seed and a trip to Providence for the opening round.
On one hand, ups and downs were to be expected from one of the youngest rosters in the country, which has reserve junior forward Adrio Bailey as the lone “upperclassman”. On the other hand, expectations were elevated by the return of a potential lottery pick in 6’11 sophomore Daniel Gafford.
Following a disappointing opening round exit at the hands of Florida in the SEC Tournament, the Razorbacks’ bubble was burst in more than one way. Not only did they miss a third consecutive trip to the big dance, Gafford immediately declared for the NBA Draft and announced he would not be participating in the NIT.
By default, Arkansas’ opening round matchup at Providence has become an audition for some youngsters on the roster and a glimpse into the future for Mike Anderson, whose seat is likely to be nice and hot going into the ‘19-20 campaign.
Coach Anderson probably slept a little better last night after his Gafford-less group rolled past the Friars 84-72 to set-up a rematch with an Indiana team they have already beaten earlier this season. There was plenty to like about the teams effort, intensity, and execution on both ends in their convincing, and somewhat surprising, victory.
Fans clamored over the “usage” of Gafford as a post-up option rather than a rim runner and pick and roll forward throughout the regular season. The popular belief was that this did not play to his strengths and caused the offense to become stagnant at times. The strategy shifted in his absence last night. That, combined with the experimental NIT rules of an expanded three-point arc and lane, created much more space, ball movement, and player movement for an efficient Arkansas’ offense against the Friars.
The Razorbacks appeared hungry and motivated right from the tip.The backcourt played fast and aggressive on both ends and showed flashes of a young group that is starting to “grow-up” and develop confidence and chemistry headed towards the future.
Jalen Harris is an explosive point guard who has the potential to be one of the better distributors in the SEC. The sharp-shooting tandem of Isaiah Joe and Mason Jones have both had multiple big games this year, albeit rarely on the same night. The two combined for 30 points in the victory. Freshman Desi Sills, who entered the starting lineup towards the end of the regular season, continued his hot shooting from behind the arc and provided great energy on the defensive end.
In the end, the eyes were on the Razorback front-court and how they would perform without Gafford. Tonight, they delivered in resounding fashion. Sophomore Gabe Osabuohien found his way into the lineup midway through the season based on his defensive intensity and hustle play. Last night, he brought that as well as a critical 11 point, 8 rebound stat line.
Highly touted 6’8″ freshman Reggie Chaney was the highlight of the night with an impressive 14 point, 5 rebound performance that also included a number (7 to be exact) of emphatic blocked shots. He has all the tools to be a big-time contributor moving forward.
A final bright spot for Arkansas was reserve 6’8″ freshman Ethan Henderson. The ESPN Top 100 recruit was used sparingly in the regular season. He took advantage of significant minutes last night. He runs like a gazelle and displayed impressive athleticism with a pair of alley-oop slams. Henderson chipped in 5 rebounds as well and certainly showed the potential to be a big piece in the years to come.
Obviously, Arkansas will need to bring in some more size and experience next season to replace the loss of Daniel Gafford if they want to be a serious threat to return to the NCAA Tournament. That being said, the NIT is an invaluable experience for the young Hogs and the cupboard is anything but bare going into a pivotal ‘19-20 season for Mike Anderson. While it is a small sample size so far, the experience gained and lessons learned during the NIT run can only be positives. With an intriguing young core slated to come back, do not count out the Razorbacks to make some noise in the near future.