Hogs wear down Texas A&M to win fourth in row

Arkansas guard Jaylen Barford pulls up for a shot during a game against Texas A&M on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas continued driving for an NCAA Tournament bid as the Razorbacks beat Texas A&M 86-77 Wednesday night in Walton Arena before an announced crowd of 10,113.

The Razorbacks (21-7, 10-5 SEC) won their fourth consecutive game since suffering back-to-back losses at Missouri and to Vanderbilt at home.

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"I think we've just got the mindset of one game, one practice at a time," said Arkansas junior forward Trey Thompson, who had a career-high six assists. "We don't look forward to the NCAA Tournament.

"We just want to control what we can control and leave it to the people that do whatever they do."

Junior guard Jaylen Barford took control for Arkansas after forward Robert Williams dunked to pull the Aggies within 69-67 with 4:43 left.

The Razorbacks outscored the Aggies 8-2 over a 1:52 span -- including six points by Barford and Daryl Macon's dunk with a Thompson assist -- to take a 77-69 lead with 2:26 left after the Aggies pulled within 69-67 on Williams' dunk.

Barford finished with a team-high 16 points.

"He took over," Texas A&M Coach Billy Kennedy said.

"I just tried to make big plays for my team," Barford said.

Arkansas hit 9 of 10 free throws in the final 1:01 -- Macon was 5 of 6 and Moses Kingsley and Manny Watkins were each 2 of 2 -- to clinch the victory.

"This game comes down to players and I thought Arkansas had more than us in the second half," Kennedy said. "I thought they wore us down."

Watkins scored 13 points for the Razorbacks, Macon had 12, Dusty Hannahs 11, Kingsley 10, Dustin Thomas 9 and Thompson and Anton Beard 5 each.

Texas A&M (14-13, 6-9) was led by center Tyler Davis (21 points), Williams (16 points, 11 rebounds) and guard Admon Gilder (17 points).

"You take their five and my five, from a talent standpoint, they probably out-talent my five," Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said of the starting lineups. "But where we can get you is eighth, ninth, 10th guy that we put out on the floor because I've got guys that could be starters."

The Aggies' five starters all played at least 30 minutes.

"I could tell at the end of the game they were really cramping and very tired," Barford said.

Arkansas hit 22 of 27 free throws, including 21 of 24 in the second half.

"We're an attacking team," Anderson said. "In the second half I really felt we were more in attack mode whether it was offensively or defensively."

The Aggies had 17 turnovers, including five by Gilder, who Kennedy said played in the second half with a leg injury.

"This is a tough place the way they pressure you and the way they play," Kennedy said. "I thought we had some turnovers that led to free throws and made baskets.

"When we could set our defense, they struggled scoring. Unfortunately, we weren't able to set our defense enough."

It was the ninth time in the last 15 games Barford has scored 14 or more points, including 23 twice.

"For him to do it at crunch time, that says a whole lot about him," Anderson said. "We know he's a talent and I think he can even play better."

It was Arkansas' first home-and-home sweep of Texas A&M since 1991. Granted, there were 21 seasons when Arkansas and Texas A&M weren't in the same conference. The Aggies joined the Razorbacks in the SEC for the 2012-2013 season.

The teams split home-and-home series in 2013 and 2016.

Arkansas beat Texas A&M three times in Southwest Conference play in 1991, including 108-61 victory in the SWC Tournament, before moving to the SEC.

Kennedy was an assistant coach for the Aggies in 1991 during the Razorbacks' previous sweep.

Texas A&M has lost nine consecutive games at Arkansas since last beating the Razorbacks on the road 93-76 on March 1, 1986 in Barnhill Arena.

Arkansas moved into a third-place tie in the conference standings with South Carolina (20-8, 10-5), but the Razorbacks hold the tiebreaker advantage for the No. 3 seed in the SEC Tournament because of their 83-76 victory over the Gamecocks last week.

Alabama (16-10, 9-5) plays Georgia tonight, but the Razorbacks also beat the Crimson Tide earlier this season to hold that tiebreaker advantage as well.

Anderson said he doesn't want his players thinking about the postseason yet with three regular-season games left at Auburn on Saturday night and next week at No. 13 Florida and at home against Georgia.

"They have to see it through my eyes," Anderson said. "My eyes are on the next game, next practice. That's the only thing we control. I'll let the pundits talk about all that other stuff.

"We know what our goals are, but the immediate goals right now is for us to get better and enjoy this one until midnight and get ready for an Auburn team that just went on the road and won at LSU."

Game sketch

RECORDS Arkansas 21-7, 10-5 SEC; Texas A&M 14-13, 6-9

STARS Arkansas junior guard Jaylen Barford (16 points) and senior guard Manny Watkins (13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals). Texas A&M sophomore center Tyler Davis (21 points, 7 rebounds) and freshman forward Robert Williams (16 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocked shots)

TURNING POINT The Razorbacks outscored the Aggies 17-10 in the final 4:18. KEY STAT Arkansas hit 21 of 24 free throws in the second half.

UP NEXT Arkansas plays Auburn at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Auburn Arena in Auburn, Ala.

Sports on 02/23/2017