FAYETTEVILLE -- Getting to the free-throw line hasn't been a problem for the Arkansas Razorbacks this season.
But making free throws? That's a different story.
The Razorbacks lead the SEC in free-throw attempts with 392 going into their game at Tennessee tonight, but they're seventh in free throws made with 251.
The University of Arkansas ranks last among the SEC's 14 teams in free-throw percentage at 64.0. Auburn is second to last at 67.2 percent.
Kentucky (279), Vanderbilt (272), Alabama (264), Georgia (261), Tennessee (255) and South Carolina (253) all have made more free throws than Arkansas despite those teams averaging a combined 24.3 attempts per game compared to 26.1 for Arkansas.
Kentucky, second in the SEC at 75.2 percent behind Ole Miss' 76.1 percent, has hit 28 more free throws than Arkansas despite having 83 fewer attempts.
Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson said the players work on free throws every day during practice and on their own.
"We put ample time in on it, and they put ample time in themselves," Anderson said. "So it's a matter of them getting up there and having the confidence to knock them down.
"I think that's the biggest key. There ain't no big secret to it. Free throws are free, they're individual, and you have to have the mindset and the repetition to get up there and knock them down."
Sophomore guard Mason Jones is shooting a team-leading 82.7 percent (62 of 75), but the rest of the Razorbacks are a combined 59.6 percent (189 of 317).
Daniel Gafford, Arkansas' 6-11 sophomore averaging 17.5 points per game, has taken 25 more free throws than any other Razorback and is at 58 percent (58 of 100).
In the Razorbacks' five losses by a combined 19 points, they've missed 42 free throws by shooting 59.2 percent (61 of 103). They shot 77.8 percent in a 69-65 loss to Georgia Tech, but had a season low for attempts by going 7 of 9.
In SEC play, some of the Razorbacks' top free-throw shooters have struggled.
Sophomore guard Jalen Harris has hit 8 of 17 free throws in three SEC games after shooting 79.5 percent (35 of 44) in nonconference games.
Freshman guard Isaiah Joe is 3 of 7 after being at 70.7 percent (29 of 41). Freshman guard Desi Sills is 1 of 3 after shooting 70.5 percent (12 of 17).
"It's the difference between winning and losing games," Anderson said. "I think we've been in that position, so you just have to continue to work on it and continue to encourage those guys."
Tennessee has three of the SEC's top 10 free-throw shooters in Jordan Bowden (first at 91.7 percent), Jordan Bone (third at 84.8 percent) and Grant Williams (10th at 80 percent).
Dunkin' Daniel
Arkansas 6-11 sophomore forward Daniel Gafford is shooting an SEC-leading 65.8 percent (102 of 155) from the field.
Of Gafford's 102 baskets, 44 are dunks. He had five dunks while shooting 14 of 19 against LSU on Saturday.
Gafford has 119 dunks in his 50-game college career.
This season Gafford has more dunks than Ole Miss (41), South Carolina (37), Florida (20) and Missouri (20).
The Razorbacks' 71 dunks -- including 10 by Adrio Bailey and 9 by Reggie Chaney -- are third in the SEC behind Alabama (80) and LSU (73). Tennessee is fourth with 66 dunks.
Mike & Rick
Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson and Tennessee Coach Rick Barnes have faced each other in the Big 12 Conference as well as the SEC.
Anderson's Missouri Tigers were 3-2 against Barnes' Texas Longhorns, and his Razorbacks are 4-1 against Barnes' Vols, including 2-0 in Knoxville.
"We've formed a pretty good relationship," Anderson said of Barnes. "He's a class act. He's done it the right way. I mean, his resume if you look at it, what he's done and what he's doing right now, it speaks for itself."
Barnes has a 675-359 record in 32 seasons as a head coach with 22 NCAA Tournament appearances.
"I just have a great deal of respect for Coach Anderson," Barnes said. "The way his teams play so hard and aggressive and what they do with their defense. They're going to get after it, and they're going to make you handle the ball."
Last season the Razorbacks beat the Vols 95-93 in Fayetteville in the SEC opener, but Tennessee won 84-66 in the SEC Tournament semifinals in St. Louis.
Ranked foes
Tennessee -- ranked No. 3 in The Associated Press poll behind Duke and Michigan while getting 13 of 64 first-place votes -- will be the first team the Razorbacks have played this season that was ranked at the time of the game.
Indiana is No. 25 in this week's poll, but the Hoosiers weren't ranked when the Razorbacks beat them 73-72 in Walton Arena on Nov. 18.
Arkansas will play two ranked teams this week with a game at No. 18 Ole Miss on Saturday.
Other ranked teams remaining on Arkansas' schedule are at No. 8 Texas Tech, at No. 12 Kentucky, at No. 14 Auburn and against No. 24 Mississippi State in Walton Arena.
Sports on 01/15/2019