FAYETTEVILLE – The Arkansas women’s basketball team (3-0) showcased its defensive presence over Little Rock (0-3) in a 77-36 victory on Tuesday night to start the season 3-0 for the fourth time in the last five years. The Hogs held the Trojans to just 36 points, which is the least amount of points the Hogs have given up on Little Rock in the series, as well as the lowest point total for the Trojans since Jan. 14 last season. Arkansas saw 12 members of the team play 3+ minutes, 11 who finished the night with points. Four Hogs ended the night in double digits in scoring, led by Taliah Scott’s 18.
LR got on the scoreboard first with a layup, while Arkansas was empty on its first few possessions. The first score for the Hogs came from a Makayla Daniels putback layup off a LR turnover. That score by Daniels started a 10-0 run, highlighted by two Saylor Poffenbarger 3-pointers, her firsts of the season. At the media timeout taken at 4:20, the Hogs held a 10-2 edge. The Arkansas run continued out of the timeout, as Scott got her first score of the night with a layup and followed that up with a 3-pointer. LR was held in a scoring drought for just under seven minutes but dug out of the drought with two free throws. Arkansas finished the quarter, leading 16-4, while holding LR to 1-for-11 from the field and forcing seven turnovers.
The Trojans continued to struggle from the field, and Arkansas took advantage with scoring the first seven points of the quarter, including a Carly Keats triple and two Maryam Dauda layups. LR found its first field goal in nearly 10 minutes, but the Hogs had an answer, as Dauda knocked down two free throws and Samara Spencer had a good take to the basket for a layup. With just under five minutes remaining in the quarter, Arkansas held a 29-10 lead. Jenna Lawrence got her first collegiate field goal with a second-chance layup and Scott drilled down two free throws, as Arkansas took a 34-14 advantage into the locker room. The Hogs held LR to 5-for-24 from the field for 21 percent.
Arkansas kept up the momentum, as the Hogs scored the first five points of the second half. LR started to find their stride from the field, but each time, as Arkansas was 6-of-6 from the field in that stretch, Arkansas had an answer. Scott helped the Hogs take a 29-point lead with a driving layup at the halfway point of the quarter. At the media timeout taken at 3:43, Arkansas led 51-23. Arkansas had an 8-4 run and then LR drained a 3-pointer. Scott responded with a layup as the buzzer sounded, and Arkansas had the 61-30 lead going into the final quarter.
The Hogs did not put the foot off the gas, going on a 7-0 run to begin the frame, starting with the lineup of Daniels, Dauda, Sasha Goforth, Karley Johnson and Keats. A three-point barrage started to come for Keats, who knocked down back-to-back triples to initiate a 6-0 run. The Hogs left 74-32 with 4:54 left in the game. Arkansas was held without a field goal for nearly four minutes until Emrie Ellis, in her first game back off injury, had a nice cut to the layup for a basket off an assist from Loren Lindsey. The Hogs outscored the Trojans 16-6 in the fourth to win, 77-36.
The Razorbacks will take on Arkansas State for the first road test of the year on Friday. That game will tipoff at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
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