FAYETTEVILLE -- If Saturday's regular-season finale was Arkansas sophomore Daniel Gafford's swan song at Walton Arena, the 6-11 forward left one heck of an impression.
Gafford blew up for 29 points and a career-high 16 rebounds in the Razorbacks' 82-70 victory over Alabama.
Gafford added 2 blocked shots, 2 assists and 1 steal for his packed stat line, which included 6 offensive rebounds and 6 dunks.
When he checked out for the final time with 1:24 remaining, he got hugs and high-fives while going down the bench, and Arkansas fans chanted "One more year."
The refrain started back up when he did an interview with the SEC Network after the game.
"I couldn't do nothing but laugh," Gafford said. "Fans always try to make sure you hear them."
Gafford posted his 10th double-double of the season -- and he got it in the first half with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
"I was in my zone finishing around the basket," Gafford said.
"You could tell he was hungry out there," Arkansas guard Isaiah Joe said. "You can't do anything else but reward him and get him the ball."
Gafford made 11 of 17 shots and 7 of 9 free throws.
According to Hogstats.com, Gafford joined Joe Kleine and Charles Balentine as the only Razorbacks with 29-plus points and 16-plus rebounds in a game.
"Gafford is a handful," Alabama Coach Avery Johnson said. "He looked like he was on a different level than everyone else on the court. That's why I was hoping he would have already been gone by now."
Gafford wowed the crowd early in the second half when he wound up with the ball near the Alabama free-throw line after a couple of live-ball turnovers. It took Gafford a second to get the ball under control, so he didn't see point guard Jalen Harris streaking toward the Arkansas goal. Gafford kept his dribble alive, flew past half court and pulled up just past the free-throw line for a finger roll layup and 40-31 Arkansas lead.
"I know that's not going to happen again in a million years," Gafford said.
Joe's stroke
Arkansas guard Isaiah Joe made 2 of 5 three-point shots to finish the regular season with an Arkansas-record 106 three-point makes.
Joe surpassed Arkansas assistant coach Scotty Thurman's former record of 102 made three-pointers in the Razorbacks' last game.
Reversal
Normally, it's the guards feeding Daniel Gafford for dunks, but early in the first half the roles were reversed.
Desi Sills gave Gafford an entry pass on the left block, and Isaiah Joe timed his run down the center of the lane perfectly to take a pass from Gafford for an easy dunk, his second of the year. Joe's only other dunk came against Montana State on Nov. 21.
Thanks, Nolan
Former Arkansas head coach Nolan Richardson received a big cheer when he was shown on the video board in the first half. Richardson and the rest of the 1994 national championship team were honored the previous Saturday at a 25th year reunion, and on Wednesday the UA announced it was submitting a resolution to have the court at Walton Arena named after Richardson.
Legendary Beck
Former Arkansas guard Corey Beck, a member of the 1994 national championship team and the Razorbacks' "legend" for this week's SEC Tournament, was introduced late in the first half.
Beck received a rousing applause and a commemorative Razorback basketball, and he led the crowd in calling the Hogs. Beck could not be at the 25th-year celebration of the 1994 team the previous week because he was attending his daughter's game in the state basketball tournament.
Kleine fills in
Joe Kleine, the former Arkansas All-American who played 15 seasons in the NBA and now lives in Little Rock, woke up Saturday morning figuring he'd be headed to work at Corky's restaurant.
Instead, Kleine was in Walton Arena serving as the color analyst with play-by-play man Richard Cross. Kleine filled in for Barry Booker, who wasn't able to make it to the game due to travel problems.
Jimmy Dykes, Kleine's teammate at Arkansas and now an ESPN analyst, called Kleine about 10:30 a.m. to see whether he could work the game. By 11 a.m., Kleine was on the road to Fayetteville for his network television debut.
"I just hope I don't mess it up," Kleine said with a laugh. "I've got to make sure I don't say 'we' on the telecast."
Kleine had previous experience as the color analyst for Arkansas' radio broadcasts. He's also done TV work on games for KATV alongside Paul Eells.
Kleine said his last TV work was during the 2001-02 season.
Series update
Arkansas leads the all-time series with Alabama 34-28, including a 19-6 edge in games played in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks lead 27-25 since joining the SEC in 1992.
England honored
Longtime Arkansas men's basketball trainer Dave England was recognized during a pre-game ceremony. England recently announced this would be his final season after 36 years with the Razorbacks.
Tip-ins
• Members of the Arkansas football coaching staff escorted in a huge group of elite prospects during a stoppage of play in the first half.
• The Razorbacks broke out their throwback uniforms, which have thinner numerals, for the second home game in a row and improved to 2-0 in them.
• Alabama converted 10 of 20 free throws for 50 percent. The Razorbacks had one of their best games at the free-throw line at 15 of 18 for 83.3 percent.
• Alabama played without starting guard Dazon Ingram and reserve center Daniel Giddens. Ingram is still dealing with a quad injury, which has slowed him the past three games. Giddens was ruled out with a hand injury.
Sports on 03/10/2019