FAYETTEVILLE — Some postgame thoughts following Arkansas' loss at Florida:
KeVaughn Allen breaks out
It's strange how things play out sometimes, isn't it?
KeVaughn Allen had scored just 17 points in Florida's previous four games, but broke out of an SEC funk by scoring a season-high 28 points on 6 of 7 from 3-point range against Arkansas.
The six 3-pointers tied a career-high set against Ole Miss during his freshman season. He was unconscious in the first half, connecting on his first five field goal attempts as he poured in 20 before the break. And for good measure he blocked two shots.
With a bucket late in the second half, Allen passed former Gator and current Boston Celtics forward Al Horford on Florida's all-time scoring list.
Offensively, Florida looked like the team early in the season that downed Gonzaga and took Duke to the wire at the PK80. The Gators go to another level when Allen, Egor Koulechov and Jalen Hudson are on and Chris Chiozza - nine assists - is finding them.
When the Gators are right, they're the best team in the SEC.
Arkansas' 3-point defense
It should come as no surprise that Arkansas ranks 13th in the SEC defending the 3.
The Razorbacks are allowing opponents to shoot 39.1 percent from beyond the arc, and Wednesday, Florida became the fourth team in six SEC games to hit 11 or more 3s against Arkansas. Mike White's club finished 13 of 25.
Allen knocked down the aforementioned six 3-pointers while Jalen Hudson added four and Egor Koulechov, who entered the game shooting 59 percent from distance in conference action, hit two of his own.
Koulechov's final 3-pointer put the dagger in Arkansas after the Hogs cut the Florida lead to single digits and appeared to be picking up steam. The quality looks Florida got from beyond the arc has to be troubling for Mike Anderson and his staff.
Jaylen Barford
Jaylen Barford's play was arguably the lone bright spot for Arkansas in Gainesville.
The senior tied a career-high with 28 points on 10 of 15 shooting and 5 of 6 from deep. The rest of his teammates finished 19 of 51 (37 percent) from the floor.
Barford began the second half with a 3-pointer that kicked off a mini 5-0 to pull Arkansas within 10, and again hit a jumper to cut the deficit to 10 with under eight minutes to play. Florida then went on a 10-0 run in under two minutes to put the game away.
He was spectacular and the biggest reason Arkansas hung around as long as it did.
Jones shows signs of life
Mike Anderson told Chuck Barrett on the pregame show he thought C.J. Jones would have a breakout game on Wednesday.
It wasn't exactly that, but Jones did see his first 3-pointer fall since late December against CSU Bakersfield. His first make snapped a streak of five straight games without a triple and marked the sophomore's first made 3 in SEC play since he went 2 of 2 against Missouri on Jan. 14, 2017.
Perhaps this could serve as a confidence boost heading into Saturday against Ole Miss, a team that beat the Gators in Oxford over the weekend. To say that Arkansas has sorely missed Jones' shot-making off the bench of late would be a massive understatement.
Beard injured
Anton Beard was helped to the locker room in the first half after having his ankle stepped on awkwardly by Florida's Kevarrius Hayes, forcing C.J. Jones into action and Darious Hall to start the second half.
As inefficient as Beard may be on the offensive end at times, Arkansas really can't afford the senior to miss much time. His injury places more of the backcourt workload on Barford and Daryl Macon, who finished with a season-high four turnovers in the loss.
I'll be sure to pass along any updates on Beard's status at Anderson's next press conference, but even if it isn't significant, I wouldn't expect to see Beard on the floor for his usual 30 minutes on Saturday.