FAYETTEVILLE — As shooters typically do, Isaiah Joe got into a zone Saturday night and exploded out of his recent slump.
The true freshman from Fort Smith had made only 7 of 26 three-pointers (26.9 percent) over Arkansas’ last three games, but was 10 of 13 beyond the arc and scored a career-high 34 points in a 121-89 win over Florida International.
“As a shooter, you’re always taught to shoot the ball no matter what,” Joe said. “You have those bad nights, but you can never get out of those bad nights if you don’t shoot the ball.”
Making his night even more impressive is that he actually missed two of his first three attempts before heating up and making nine of his last 10. He also drove to the basket for a nice left-handed layup for his only two-pointer and made both of his free throws.
The 34-point performance was one shy of Bobby Portis’ freshman record and tied Scotty Thurman’s mark for second. Thurman, now an assistant coach at Arkansas, scored 34 points twice, doing so against Missouri and Ole Miss.
“What a shooting display he put on,” head coach Mike Anderson said. “He got in one of those zones and our guys did a good job of really finding him.”
Although the Razorbacks never trailed and led by as many as 35 points, they were challenged by the Panthers early on.
Nine straight points by FIU pulled it within 24-20 midway through the first half, but Joe knocked down his second three-pointer of the night to spark a 26-8 run that put the game away for the Razorbacks. He had 14 points during that stretch.
“Whenever we’d make a mini-run and a mini-response to what they were doing, I think you saw Joe answer with a three or two threes,” FIU head coach Jeremy Ballard said. “He hit a lot of daggers tonight.”
Joe shattered the UA freshman record for made three-pointers in a game, which was previously seven held by Pat Bradley and Thurman. His 10 threes tied Bradley and Rotnei Clarke for the third most in a single game by any player in school history. Only Clarke (13) and Alex Dillard (12) made more.
However, his three misses were the fewest among the Razorbacks with at least 10 in a game.
“We knew there was a chance he could get 3s the way that we play, but there were a lot of broken assignments where we gave him too many open looks,” Ballard said. “You give that kind of caliber of player open looks and he sees that ball go in, you can be in for a long night and we were certainly in for a long night.”
It wasn’t a one-man show for Arkansas, either. As a team, the Razorbacks shot 60.9 percent (42 of 69) from the floor and scored their most points since the 2009-10 opener against Alcorn State, when they scored 130.
That was likely a product of the pace FIU likes to play. Ballard was an assistant for current Texas head coach Shaka Smart at VCU and has a similar style as Arkansas. According to KenPom, the Panthers have the second-fastest tempo in Division I.
“We knew coming in that we were going to play fast and press and that they were, too, for better or for worse,” Ballard said. “For us tonight, it was for worse.”
Preseason first-team All-SEC selection Daniel Gafford contributed 23 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in the game. The rebound total matched a career high.
It was his third double-double of the season, matching his total from last season. Ballard described him as a “pro” and “lottery pick” in the postgame.
“He’s a perfect fit for Coach’s system and you can’t have a better big guy for the Fastest 40 Minutes of Basketball,” Ballard said. “I think his improvement from last year to this year is a testament to the young man, but also a testament to their staff and what they’ve done to get him to this point.”
Mason Jones also had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, with Adrio Bailey the only other player in double figures with 10 points. Jalen Harris contributed 10 assists.
The Razorbacks travel to Colorado State for their first true road game next week. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. CT Wednesday and it will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
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