Gafford Named SEC co-Player of the Week

Mike Cawood March 11, 2019

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas sophomore Daniel Gafford was named the SEC co-Player of the Week after leading the Razorbacks to two wins and having perhaps his best career game. He shared the honor with South Carolina’s Chris Silva.

Gafford averaged a double-double (24.5 points and 10 rebounds) and led Arkansas to wins at Vanderbilt and versus Alabama to move the Razorbacks up to the ninth seed at next week’s SEC Tournament.

The El Dorado native scored a game-high 20 points at Vanderbilt and game-high 29 versus Alabama. The 36-point win at Vandy marked the second-largest SEC win in Arkansas history. Versus Alabama, Gafford recorded his 10th double-double as he grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds and he scored 29 points, his second-best career output.

En route to scoring 20 points at Vanderbilt, Gafford only missed three shots (8-of-11) and added four blocked shots.

Versus Alabama. not only did Gafford have a double-double (11 points and 12 rebounds) in the first half alone, Gafford became just the third player in the NCAA this season to have as many as 29 points, 15 rebounds, two steals and two assists in a game. Gafford’s 16 rebounds ties for sixth-most by a Razorback versus SEC competition. He was responsible for Arkansas’ first 11 points (scored six and assisted on five) and later scored 10-straight points for Arkansas in the second half.

With his 16-rebound effort, Gafford reclaimed the SEC lead in rebounds (8.7 average). By shooting 68 percent from the field in the two wins, Gafford not only leads the SEC in field goal percentage (.660) but leads by 91 percentage points over Tennessee’s Grant Williams.

Gafford is the only player in the SEC to rank among the league’s top 5 – much less the top 10 – in rebounding (1st, 8.7), field goal percentage (1st, .660), scoring (4th, 17.0), blocked shots (3rd, 2.1), offensive rebounds (1st, 2.9) and defensive rebounds (3rd, 5.9). In fact, Gafford is the only player to rank among the top seven in both offensive and defensive rebounds.

This is the second time Gafford has earned SEC Player of the Week. He was previously honored on Nov. 15 when he scored a then career-high 27 points and had a then career-high 12 rebounds in a win versus Indiana.

Arkansas will play the first game Thursday (Mar. 14) at the 2019 SEC Tournament versus #8 seed Florida. Tip-off at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena is set for Noon.

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