FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. Seniors Jessica Jackson and Alecia Cooley both had double-doubles but the University of Arkansas womens basketball team suffered a 70-64 loss to Auburn in the final game of the regular season in Bud Walton Arena on Sunday.
Jackson and junior Devin Cosper both scored 14 points with the senior grabbing a season-best 12 rebounds. Cooley picked up 11 rebounds to go with 11 points while Keiryn Swenson had a 12-point afternoon and Malica Monk added 10 points for Arkansas.
Arkansas (13-16, 2-14 SEC) held a 42-40 advantage heading into the fourth quarter but the Tigers defense increased its intensity forcing the Razorbacks to turn over the ball. Those miscues lead to points as Auburn (17-13, 7-9 SEC) outscored Arkansas 30-17 in the final frame.
The first half was a back-and-forth battle but Malica Monks buzzer-beater at the end of the second quarter sent the Razorbacks into the locker room with a 34-31 advantage.
Keiryn Swenson kept Arkansas in the game in the first stanza starting the game 4-for-4 for nine quick points. Despite Swensons efforts, the Razorbacks were down five, 20-15, after the first 10 minutes.
The Razorbacks opened the second quarter with an 11-0 run and they held Auburn without a basket until the 3:47 mark of the frame. The Tigers then put together a mini run with consecutive 3-pointers. The teams exchanged baskets until Monks half-court shot at the end of 20 minutes.
Arkansas manufactured more good defense to start the second half as the Razorbacks held the Tigers scoreless until the 4:32 mark of the third period. Arkansas took a 47-40 lead into the final quarter.
Auburn put together a 6-0 run to start final frame and added an 8-0 run, outscoring Arkansas 17-5 in the first five minutes of the period. The Tigers erased the Razorback lead and pulled ahead, 57-52, forcing an Arkansas timeout. The Razorbacks stepped up the defense and held Auburn scoreless for more than three minutes but could not cut into the lead.
Trailing by five late in the game, Arkansas had to foul the Tigers but Auburn made the bonus shots to secure the win.
Arkansas outrebounded Auburn 45-37, had a better shooting percentage with a 38.7%-35.3% advantage and hit more 3-pointers, 9-8, in the game.
The University of Arkansas womens basketball team opens the Southeastern Conference Tournament facing Florida in game two of the first round on Wednesday, in Greenville, South Carolina.
The Razorbacks enter tournament play as the No. 14 seed and meet the 11th-seeded Gators for the second time this season. Alabama and Vanderbilt meet in game one which tips at 10 a.m. central in Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Arkansas and Florida will tip approximately 25 minutes after the conclusion of that game and air on the SEC Network.
The winner of the Arkansas-Florida game meets sixth-seed Texas A&M in round two on Thursday.
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