By Nate Allen
Special to the News-Times
FAYETTEVILLE - Mike Anderson believes his shortest starter must wield a big impact if his Arkansas Razorbacks are to fare better in Saturday’s SEC rematch against Texas A&M at Walton Arena than Arkansas did on Jan. 30 in College Station, Texas.
The Aggies at their Reed Arena thumped Arkansas 80-66.
Anton Beard, the Arkansas senior point guard and North Little Rock High graduate listed at six-feet, only hit 2-of-9 shots against the Aggies for his seven points and committed more turnovers than assists.
More importantly, the senior’s subtleties that Anderson expects from his four-year letterman and only starter with starting tenure back to the 27-9 Razorbacks of 2014-2015, didn’t emerge in College Station.
The Razorbacks, only trailing 33-32 at half, unraveled during A&M’s 47-34 second half.
Of course, Beard wasn’t Arkansas’ Lone Ranger struggling during that second half, as despite Arkansas senior scoring guards Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford scoring 20 and 19 points, the Hogs were overwhelmed by a lack of defense in the second half.
Texas A&M point guard TJ Starks hit 4-of-5 treys and scored 16 points. The Hogs were also erased on the boards 45-30.
The difference in that A&M loss and Arkansas’ three consecutive SEC successes that followed: 81-65 and 71-54 over South Carolina and Vanderbilt at Walton and 75-64 at Ole Miss on Tuesday, reflect in Beard’s play.
Against South Carolina, he played defense and chipped in five points on five shots, deferring to Macon and Barford scoring 25 and 24.
Against the Vanderbilt Commodores, he helped right Arkansas’ floundering ship.
The Razorbacks committed five turnovers without firing a shot in their first five possessions.
Beard committed none of those turnovers, nor any against three assists in 30 minutes. His steal and score capped a 15-0 Razorbacks run, compelling the distraught Commodores to call yet another timeout while he finished shooting 3-of-6 for seven points, four rebounds and a steal.
Last Tuesday in Oxford when the Razorbacks opened shooting more bricks faster than Acme Brick makes them in Malvern, Beard not only settled the Hogs down, but perked them up on the scoreboard.
He hit 5-of-10 shots scoring 13 points.
So even as freshmen Darious Hall (14 points and 11 rebounds for the Little Rock Mills grad’s first Razorbacks double-double) and big man Daniel Gafford of El Dorado (19 points and six boards) starred in Oxford, Anderson praised Beard right with them for his contributions tangible and intangible against Ole Miss.
“I thought Anton Beard led this team,” Anderson said. “He made big-time shots for us. He made big plays for us. He looked like the little general out there in charge.”
Generally, that’s what Anderson wants from Beard in Saturday’s 3 p.m. ESPN televised game against the Aggies.
“He’s got to be our leader,” Anderson said Thursday before the Razorbacks practiced at Walton.
“He’s got to be a little general out on the floor. He’s got to get guys in the right spot and talk to them, and calm our guys down and pump them up.
“He’s got to knock down open shots when he gets them. He’s got to provide that grit. That’s what we’ve got to have.”
Grit, guts and guru.
“He’s been through the wars,” Anderson said. “You have got to have somebody out on that floor that can get you into things and be that coach out on the floor.”
And when the situation compels it, add scoring to his repertoire like his 13 points against Ole Miss compensating for Macon’s rare off night.
“I even heard (Ole Miss Coach) Andy Kennedy talk about, 'Well, we didn't think these guys could score,'” Anderson said of Beard and Hall combining for 27 points in Oxford.
“Well, they're out there on the floor for a reason, and it's not just to play defense. They can score, too. When your team is balanced, it makes it difficult for your opponents to say, ‘Who are you going to cover?'”
Anderson has called Beard his toughest player, which Beard has proved playing nonstop since his lingering ankle sprain during the Jan. 17 loss at Florida.
“I think he’s healthier from that injury,” Anderson said. “I think he’s back in the groove.”
Beard asserts his ankle is “100 percent” and he’s 100 percent ready for a rugged final five SEC games, starting with nationally No. 21 A&M on Saturday.
“I feel like it’s a good stretch for us,” Beard said. “It’ll show us where we really are and who we are. But if we come out with the mindset of defense first, I feel like we can compete with anybody.”
BAILEY BACK
Adrio Bailey, sidelined the last two games by the flu bug fiercely biting so many throughout Arkansas, was set to practice Thursday and will be available Saturday, Anderson said.