FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) Daniel Gafford scored 21 points and Arkansas won its fourth straight game with a 78-60 victory over Texas-Arlington on Friday night.
Gafford was a career-best 9 of 10 from the free throw line, helping the Razorbacks (4-1) overcome a sluggish shooting start and stay undefeated in eight games against the Mavericks.
Jalen Harris and Adrio Bailey added 14 points each for Arkansas, and Isaiah Joe also finished in double figures with 10. The Razorbacks forced 19 turnovers and scored 25 points off of Texas-Arlington miscues.
Edric Dennis had 19 points to lead the Mavericks (3-3), who played Indiana close until late in a loss earlier this week. Brian Warren added 15 points as the Sun Belt Conference school fell to 1-14 all-time against current members of the Southeastern Conference.
Arkansas led for all but the opening point of the game, doing so despite opening the game 4 of 20 from the field.
The Mavericks didn’t fare much better from the outset, hitting only 4 of their first 21 shots and trailing 31-26 at halftime.
BIG PICTURE
As goes Gafford, so go the youthful Razorbacks, an early season trend that continued on Friday night. The reigning Southeastern Conference Player of the Week scored in double figures for the fifth time this season and is now shooting 72.6 percent (37 of 51) after deciding to return for his sophomore season. Gafford scored 12 of his points against the Mavericks in the first half while Arkansas was struggling to pull away, and he’s proven to be the mainstay on a Razorbacks team that entered the season with only three scholarship returners from last season’s NCAA Tournament squad.
UP NEXT
Texas-Arlington finishes off a three-game road trip by facing Tulsa on Nov. 27.
The Razorbacks play their fifth straight at home when they host Florida International on Dec. 1.
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