FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas women’s basketball (1-0) extended its season-opener winning streak to 13 by defeating ULM (0-1), 81-76 in a tough, physical contest. The Hogs pulled away early in the fourth quarter to go ahead by 14 with 5:42 left in the game, but ULM had a late surge to cut the deficit to three points with 19 seconds left. Taliah Scott, who ended the night with a team-leading 29 points in her collegiate debut, knocked down two late free throws and Arkansas’ defense came up with a stop as time expired.
In the record books, Scott’s 29 points is the most by an Arkansas freshman in their debut. Saylor Poffenbarger also pulled down a career-high 21 rebounds, which is tied for second all-time in an individual game by a Hog, just one off from tying the record by Shelly Wallace who set it against SMU on Feb. 13, 1988. Those 21 boards set a sophomore rebounding record in a single game.
In a game with 42 called fouls, six lead changes and eight ties, the Hogs pulled out a victory over a ULM squad who has two former SEC starters and a top ACC performer, among other talented transfers.
Scott earned her first collegiate basket early by a drive to the basket for a layup to get the Hogs on the board first. ULM then scored back-to-back baskets, the second off a turnover to go on a 5-0 run. Scott knocked down two free throws and Makayla Daniels drilled a 3-pointer to tie the game, 13-13 with over five minutes to play in the quarter. Scott then buried a deep triple, which was a part of an 8-0 run. The Hogs led, 16-13, at the media timeout with 2:51 remaining in the first quarter. Arkansas held ULM in a scoring drought for nearly five minutes until the Warhawks made two free throws. Arkansas led 19-15 after one quarter of play.
The Warhawks got the scoring started in the second quarter and tied the game at 20. Samara Spencer then came up with a steal and scored on the other end, as Arkansas led 22-20. Arkansas went up by four with 5:11 left in the half, but ULM stole the lead with a 7-0 run to lead 29-26 with three minutes left in the half. Maryam Dauda responded with a jumper and Scott came up with another layup to tie the game at 30. ULM retook the lead with a layup and Arkansas came within one with a free throw. Arkansas had a chance to retake the lead before the half, but trailed, 32-31.
ULM scored first out of the break, but Scott scored a layup on the other end and Daniels broke some ankles for a layup to help the Hogs retake the lead. The Warhawks retied the score at 39-37, but Scott came up with another layup, as the Hogs led 39-37 with 6:34 left in the third. The Hogs then got rolling, going on a 7-0 run sparked by a Daniels 3-pointer and Sasha Goforth layup off a steal. Arkansas went up 47-39 with 3:44 left in the quarter, as ULM took a timeout. The Hogs extended the run with a Saylor Poffenbarger layup, but ULM responded with a basket of their own. Arkansas led 49-41 with 2:30 left in the third. Out of the media timeout, ULM scored back-to-back baskets to extend their run to 7-0 and cutting the Hog lead to three. Arkansas was held quiet from the field for the remaining three minutes of the quarter, as the Hogs led, 53-50.
After an empty first possession, Daniels capitalized on the next by knocking down a triple and then delivering another ankle-breaking layup, as Arkansas went up, 58-50. The Warhawks cut the deficit back to six, but the Hogs pushed on a 6-0 run initiated by a Spencer layup. A Scott and-1 followed by a triple elevated the Hogs ahead by double digits at 14 with 5:42 left in the game. The Hogs could not find a field goal for nearly three minutes until Poffenbarger broke the drought with a layup, as the Hogs led 75-63 with 2:15 left in the game. ULM could not miss late in the game, making shot after shot to cut the lead to three, 79-76, with 19 seconds left in the game. The Hogs were able to go 6-for-8 from the charity stripe late in the contest to pull out the 81-76 victory.
Arkansas will host Murray State for Elementary Day on Friday at 10:30 a.m. as part of the Hogs’ three-game homestand to open the season. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus.
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