Arkansas women burn out Illinois-Chicago Flames
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Arkansas women’s basketball team closed out play before Christmas break by going 2-0 at the West Palm Beach Classic, as the Hogs defeated Illinois-Chicago 66-58.
Arkansas led for more than 35 minutes and used an 11-0 run in the first quarter going into the second, as well as a 7-0 run in the fourth to sail to victory.
Taliah Scott led the Hogs (113) with 26 points and Saylor Poffenbarger came up with big plays, as she finished with a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
UIC got a quick score off a jumper to start out with the early lead. Arkansas missed its first two 3-point attempts, but Scott made the Hogs’ third.
The Flames responded with back-to-back baskets, including one on a second-chance opportunity. Poffenbarger then made a jumper and Samara Spencer followed with a 3-pointer as Arkansas retook the lead at 8-6 with 5:36 left in the quarter.
The Flames tied the game back up on a lay-up, but Scott answered with a pull-up jumper. UIC had another answer with a lay-up. At the media timeout taken at the 3:35 mark, the score was tied 10-all.
Out of the break, Arkansas went on an 8-2 run to close out the quarter, highlighted by a Jenna Lawrence 3-pointer off the bench. After a quarter, the Hogs led 18-12.
Arkansas kept the run rolling, extending it to a 14-2 run with back-to-back Scott triples. UIC took a timeout as Arkansas led 24-12 with 8:24 left in the quarter.
UIC got out of its scoring drought with a lay-up, but Scott responded with her fourth triple of the game. UIC converted on a 3-point play, and the Hogs responded as Maryam Dauda found a cutting Poffenbarger who made a lay-up.
UIC went on an 8-1 run to cut Arkansas’ lead to five with less than two minutes left in the half as Arkansas struggled to find another shot from the field for the remaining 5:11 of the half. Arkansas took a 32-27 edge into the locker room.
UIC kept continuing on its run, coming up with a tough lay-up, but Scott responded with her fifth 3-pointer of the game. Scott then found Dauda under the basket for a layup, but UIC responded with another tough jumper. At the media timeout taken at the 4:59 mark, Arkansas had the 37-31 advantage.
Spencer then knocked down a 3-pointer and Daniels followed with a coast-to-coast lay-up. UIC made back-to-back lay-ups, but Spencer responded with two free throws. Poffenbarger drained a 3-pointer to elevate the Hogs ahead by 10. Going into the fourth, Arkansas held a 47-37 advantage.
Poffenbarger drained her second triple at the start of the fourth quarter to go ahead by 13.
UIC went on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to seven, but Poffenbarger made a lay-up and got fouled in the process to convert the 3-point play and put the Hogs’ lead back to 10. That and-1 started a 7-0 run for the Hogs, which was capped off by a Carly Keats jumper, and the Hogs led by 14, their largest lead of the game.
UIC responded with a lay-up. At the media timeout taken at the 4:10 mark, Arkansas led 57-45. After UIC made two free throws after the timeout, Spencer answered with a lay-up, but UIC had another response with a lay-up. UIC then knocked down a triple to cut the lead to seven, but Scott responded with a quick 3-pointer as the Hogs were ahead by 10 at 62-52 with two minutes left in the game.
Scott pulled the Hogs ahead by 10 with 27 seconds left, as she knocked down two free throws after an intentional foul committed by the Flames. The Hogs were able to close out with a win.
Arkansas will take a week off for holiday break and will be back to Fayetteville to prep for its final non-conference game vs. Incarnate Word at 1 p.m. Sunday at Bud Walton Arena.
