FAYETTEVILLE -- With University of Arkansas preseason All-SEC forward Daniel Gafford on the bench because of foul trouble, Reggie Chaney provided the Razorbacks with some quality minutes in Friday night's exhibition opener.
Chaney, a 6-8 freshman from Tulsa, had 13 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 assist and 1 blocked shot in 20 minutes in Arkansas' 96-47 victory over Tusculum.
"Reggie came off the bench and gave us a big spark," Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson said. "It's amazing, because he's actually been struggling in practice.
"I think maybe the game brings on a different mindset and we saw that in him. He has a level of toughness that I like.
"He can play above the basket and the thing I loved about him tonight, he was really great on the front of the pressure defense. He was touching a lot of basketballs."
Anderson said Chaney made some good decisions with the ball, but he also had three turnovers, including two passes that were intercepted and led to fast-break baskets for Tusculum.
Chaney made 5 of 8 shots from the field and just 3 of 7 free throws.
"Now he's got to get better at the free throw line," Anderson said. "He's a guy that gets offensive rebounds and he's going to get fouled a lot."
Sophomore guard Jalen Harris appreciated Chaney's effort.
"Reggie was excellent," Harris said. "We expect that out of Reggie every night. He's an energy guy, gets rebounds and runs the floor very hard. It's hard to find someone like that. "
SMOOTH JOE
Freshman guard Isaiah Joe led the Razorbacks with 18 points against Tusculum after having 31 points in the Red-White game.
Joe hit 9 of 14 three-pointers in the Red-White game and 5 of 8 against Tusculum.
"Isaiah is really smooth," Coach Mike Anderson said. "He never gets rattled."
Joe didn't want to make a big deal about his perimeter shooting.
"It's just another day," he said. "I mean, I'm not going to get excited about knocking down shots. That's what I'm supposed to do.
"That's my job and that's what they brought me here for. I'm just glad my teammates are able to find me."
TURNOVERS GALORE
Arkansas and Tusculum combined for 49 turnovers -- 20 for the Razorbacks and 29 for the Pioneers.
The ball-handling was especially poor in the first half when the Razorbacks had 13 turnovers and the Pioneers had 19.
"It was a turnover-athon," Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson said. "That's what it was. But I thought in the second half we kind of settled down and played much better basketball."
JUST JITTERS
Arkansas struggled to a 30-24 halftime lead over Tusculum -- and fell behind 8-0 -- before dominating the second half.
"I think it was just jitters," said Jalen Harris, one of nine Arkansas newcomers. "Once we realized it was just basketball at the end of the day, we figured it out and got it going."
STILL PERFECT
Mike Anderson improved to 33-0 as a head coach in exhibition games at Alabama-Birmingham, Missouri and Arkansas. He's 15-0 with the Razorbacks.
Arkansas will play its second exhibition game at 7 p.m. Friday against Southwest Baptist in Walton Arena.
TOUGH BREAK FOR PORTER
Missouri sophomore forward Jontay Porter suffered a season-ending injury when he tore knee ligaments last Sunday in a closed scrimmage against Southern Illinois.
When Mike Anderson was Missouri's coach he got to know Porter, who grew up in Columbia, Mo.
"My heart just dropped a little bit," Anderson said of his reaction to Porter's injury. "To see where he had progressed so much, to see that, my thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
"It's a bit of adversity, but what do you do? You build off adversity. I know him and his family and their faith. I think he's going to be OK."
Sports on 10/28/2018