Arkansas women survive scare from Louisiana-Monroe in opener
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas women’s basketball team extended its season-opener winning streak to 13 by defeating Louisiana-Monroe 8176 in a tough, physical contest. The Hogs (1-0) 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’ def...
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas women’s basketball team extended its season-opener winning streak to 13 by defeating Louisiana-Monroe 8176 in a tough, physical contest. The Hogs (1-0) 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 Southern Methodist University 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 Southeastern Conference starters and an All-ACC performer, among other talented transfers.
Scott earned her first collegiate basket early by a drive to the basket for a lay-up 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 at 13-all 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 (0-1) 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-all. Samara Spencer then came up with a steal and scored on the other end, as Arkansas led 2220.
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-all.
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 3231 at halftime.
ULM scored first out of the break, but Scott scored a lay-up on the other end and Daniels broke some ankles for a lay-up to help the Hogs retake the lead.
The Warhawks retied the score at 39-37, but Scott came up with another lay-up, 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 its 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 lay-up, 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 lay-up. 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 lay-up, 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 at 7976 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 victory.
