2017–18 Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball team
American college basketball season
The 2017–18 Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball team represented the University of Arkansas in the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season . The team was led by Mike Anderson , who was in his seventh season. The Razorbacks played their home games at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas as a member of the Southeastern Conference . They finished the season 23–12, 10–8 in SEC play to finish in a three-way tie for fourth place. As the No. 6 seed in the SEC tournament , they defeated South Carolina and Florida before losing in the semifinals to Tennessee . They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round to Butler .
Senior guard Jaylen Barford was named first-team All-SEC, while senior guard Daryl Macon was a second-team All-SEC selection. Freshman center Daniel Gafford was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. On March 26, 2018, Gafford announced he would forgo the 2018 NBA draft and would be returning to Arkansas for his sophomore season.
Previous season
The Razorbacks finished the 2016–17 season 26–10, 12–6 in SEC play to finish in a tie for third. In the SEC tournament , the defeated Ole Miss and Vanderbilt before losing to Kentucky in the tournament championship. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament for the second time in three years as a #8 seed in the South region. There, they defeated #9 Seton Hall before falling to top seed and eventual national champion North Carolina in the round of 32.
Offseason
Departures
2017 recruiting class
College recruiting information
Name
Hometown
High school / college
Height
Weight
Commit date
Daniel Gafford F
El Dorado, Arkansas
El Dorado High School
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Aug 1, 2015
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : ESPN :
Khalil Garland G
Little Rock, Arkansas
Parkview High School
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Jul 16, 2016
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : ESPN :
Darious Hall F
Little Rock, Arkansas
Mills University Studies High School
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
Mar 15, 2016
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : ESPN :
Gabe Osabuohien F
Toronto, Ontario , Canada
Southwest Christian Academy
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
219 lb (99 kg)
May 24, 2017
Star ratings : Rivals : N/A 247Sports :
Overall recruiting rankings:
Note : In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.
Sources:
2018 recruiting class
College recruiting information (2018)
Name
Hometown
High school / college
Height
Weight
Commit date
Isaiah Joe SG
Fort Smith, AR
Northside High School
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
Aug 2, 2016
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : ESPN :
Desi Sills PG
Jonesboro, AR
Jonesboro High School
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
Aug 19, 2016
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : ESPN :
Ethan Henderson PF
Little Rock, AR
Parkview Magnet High School
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
Sep 5, 2016
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : ESPN :
Keyshawn Embery PG
Oklahoma City, OK
Midwest City High School
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Sep 16, 2017
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : ESPN :
Jordan Phillips SF
Cedar Hill, TX
Cedar Hill High School
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Oct 8, 2017
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : ESPN : N/A
Reggie Chaney PF
Frisco, TX
Findlay Prep
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
230 lb (100 kg)
Oct 28, 2017
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : ESPN :
Mason Jones SG
Warner, OK
Connors State College
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Apr 7, 2018
Star ratings : Scout : N/A Rivals : N/A 247Sports : N/A ESPN : N/A
Overall recruiting rankings:
Note : In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.
Sources:
Roster
2017–18 Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball team
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Name
Height
Weight
Year
Previous school
Hometown
G
0
Jaylen Barford
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
Sr
South Side HS Motlow State CC
Jackson, Tennessee
PF
1
Trey Thompson
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
265 lb (120 kg)
Sr
Forrest City HS
Madison, Arkansas
SF
2
Adrio Bailey
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
So
Lakeview HS
Campti, Louisiana
SG
3
Khalil Garland
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Fr
Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School
Little Rock, Arkansas
SG
4
Daryl Macon
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Sr
Parkview HS Holmes CC
Little Rock, Arkansas
SF
5
Arlando Cook
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
Sr
Madison Prep Connors State College
St. Louis, Missouri
PF
10
Daniel Gafford
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
Fr
El Dorado High School
El Dorado, Arkansas
SG
11
Jalen Harris
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
RS So
Word of God Christian Academy New Mexico
Raleigh, North Carolina
SG
15
Jonathan Holmes
5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
So
Columbia High School
Columbia, Illinois
SF
20
Darious Hall
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Fr
Mills University Studies High School
Little Rock, Arkansas
SF
22
Gabe Osabuohien
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Fr
Southwest Christian Academy
Toronto
SG
23
C.J. Jones
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
So
Central Park Christian HS
Birmingham, Alabama
PG
31
Anton Beard
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Sr
North Little Rock HS
North Little Rock, Arkansas
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
(W) Walk-on
Roster Last update: 2018-03-06
Schedule and results
Date time, TV
Rank#
Opponent#
Result
Record
Site (attendance) city, state
Exhibition
Oct 27, 2017 *7:00 p.m.
Central Oklahoma
W 78–66
Bud Walton Arena (13,272)Fayetteville, AR
Nov 3, 2017 *7:00 p.m.
Missouri Western
W 88–74
Bud Walton Arena (13,291)Fayetteville, AR
Regular season
Nov 10, 2017 *7:00 p.m.
Samford
W 95–56
1–0
Bud Walton Arena (13,407)Fayetteville, AR
Nov 12, 2017 *5:00 p.m., SECN
Bucknell
W 101–73
2–0
Bud Walton Arena (13,404)Fayetteville, AR
Nov 17, 2017 *7:00 p.m., ESPN3
Fresno State
W 83–75
3–0
Bud Walton Arena (15,051)Fayetteville, AR
Nov 23, 2017 *4:00 p.m., ESPN2
vs. Oklahoma PK80 tournament Victory Bracket quarterfinals
W 92–83
4–0
Moda Center (11,294)Portland, OR
Nov 24, 2017 *2:30 p.m., ESPN
vs. No. 9 North Carolina PK80 Tournament Victory Bracket semifinals
L 68–87
4–1
Veterans Memorial Coliseum (6,603)Portland, OR
Nov 26, 2017 *2:00 p.m., ESPN
vs. UConn PK80 Tournament Victory Bracket 3rd place game
W 102–67
5–1
Moda Center (11,571)Portland, OR
Dec 2, 2017 *6:30 p.m., CBSSN
at Houston
L 65–91
5–2
H&PE Arena (4,186)Houston, TX
Dec 5, 2017 *7:00 p.m.
Colorado State
W 92–66
6–2
Bud Walton Arena (13,634)Fayetteville, AR
Dec 9, 2017 *5:45 p.m., SECN
No. 14 Minnesota
W 95–79
7–2
Bud Walton Arena (17,583)Fayetteville, AR
Dec 16, 2017 *7:00 p.m.
vs. Troy North Little Rock Showcase
W 88–63
8–2
Verizon Arena (16,416)North Little Rock, AR
Dec 19, 2017 *7:00 p.m., ESPN3
Oral Roberts
W 104–69
9–2
Bud Walton Arena (13,945)Fayetteville, AR
Dec 27, 2017 *7:00 p.m., SECN
Cal State Bakersfield
W 95–68
10–2
Bud Walton Arena (15,829)Fayetteville, AR
Dec 30, 2017 12:00 p.m., SECN
No. 19 Tennessee
W 95–93 OT
11–2 (1–0)
Bud Walton Arena (18,696)Fayetteville, AR
Jan 2, 2018 8:00 p.m., SECN
No. 22
at Mississippi State
L 75–78
11–3 (1–1)
Humphrey Coliseum (6,324)Starkville, MS
Jan 6, 2018 5:00 p.m., ESPNU
No. 22
at Auburn
L 77–88
11–4 (1–2)
Auburn Arena (8,950)Auburn, AL
Jan 10, 2018 8:00 p.m., SECN
LSU
L 54–75
11–5 (1–3)
Bud Walton Arena (15,199)Fayetteville, AR
Jan 13, 2018 5:00 p.m., ESPN2
Missouri
W 65–63
12–5 (2–3)
Bud Walton Arena (18,297)Fayetteville, AR
Jan 17, 2018 6:00 p.m., ESPN2
at Florida
L 73–88
12–6 (2–4)
O'Connell Center (9,929)Gainesville, FL
Jan 20, 2018 2:30 p.m., SECN
Ole Miss
W 97–93
13–6 (3–4)
Bud Walton Arena (18,030)Fayetteville, AR
Jan 23, 2018 5:30 p.m., SECN
at Georgia
W 80–77 2OT
14–6 (4–4)
Stegeman Coliseum (6,405)Athens, GA
Jan 27, 2018 *5:00 p.m., ESPN2
Oklahoma State Big 12/SEC Challenge
W 66–65
15–6
Bud Walton Arena (18,057)Fayetteville, Arkansas
Jan 30, 2018 8:00 p.m., ESPNU
at Texas A&M
L 66–80
15–7 (4–5)
Reed Arena (8,761)College Station, TX
Feb 3, 2018 2:30 p.m., SECN
at LSU
L 86–94
15–8 (4–6)
Pete Maravich Assembly Center (9,272)Baton Rouge, LA
Feb 6, 2018 6:00 p.m., ESPN2
South Carolina
W 81–65
16–8 (5–6)
Bud Walton Arena (14,956)Fayetteville, AR
Feb 10, 2018 7:30 p.m., SECN
Vanderbilt
W 72–54
17–8 (6–6)
Bud Walton Arena (17,083)Fayetteville, AR
Feb 13, 2018 6:00 p.m., SECN
at Ole Miss
W 75–64
18–8 (7–6)
The Pavilion at Ole Miss (6,023)Oxford, MS
Feb 17, 2018 3:00 p.m., ESPN
No. 21 Texas A&M
W 94–75
19–8 (8–6)
Bud Walton Arena (18,097)Fayetteville, AR
Feb 20, 2018 8:00 p.m., ESPN
Kentucky
L 72–87
19–9 (8–7)
Bud Walton Arena (18,083)Fayetteville, AR
Feb 24, 2018 5:00 p.m., SECN
at Alabama
W 76–73
20–9 (9–7)
Coleman Coliseum (15,383)Tuscaloosa, AL
Feb 27, 2018 8:00 p.m., SECN
No. 14 Auburn
W 91–82
21–9 (10–7)
Bud Walton Arena (15,733)Fayetteville, AR
Mar 3, 2018 5:00 p.m., ESPN2
at Missouri
L 67–77
21–10 (10–8)
Mizzou Arena (15,061)Columbia, MO
SEC Tournament
Mar 8, 2018 8:00 p.m., SECN
(6)
vs. (11) South Carolina Second Round
W 69–64
22–10
Scottrade Center (11,752)St. Louis, MO
Mar 9, 2018 8:00 p.m., SECN
(6)
vs. (3) Florida Quarterfinals
W 80–72
23–10
Scottrade Center (14,596)St. Louis, MO
Mar 10, 2018 2:30 p.m., ESPN
(6)
vs. (2) No. 13 Tennessee Semifinals
L 66–84
23–11
Scottrade Center (18,729)St. Louis, MO
NCAA tournament
Mar 16, 2018 *2:10 p.m., truTV
(7 E)
vs. (10 E) Butler First Round
L 62–79
23–12
Little Caesars Arena (20,163)Detroit, MI
*Non-conference game.
# Rankings from
AP Poll . (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
E=East.
All times are in
Central Time .
References
Venues People Seasons NCAA national championship in bold; NCAA Final Four appearances in italics