FAYETTEVILLE: Eighteen days after the University of Arkansas women’s basketball team trounced them by eighteen points at home,
Alabama paid them a favor on Thursday night at Walton Arena, winning 86-70.
Alabama (17-6, 4-4 SEC) ended the Razorbacks’ two-game winning streak by using a strong second quarter to pull away and stifling a
late Arkansas comeback.
The Crimson Tide went on a 19-3 run during the last 6:24 of the second quarter to outscore the Razorbacks (16-7, 4-4) 23-6. The
difference turned out to be the stretch.
After the break, Alabama had a 25-point lead, but late in the game, Arkansas closed the gap to 76-67.
The Crimson Tide made 50% of their field goals (30 of 60) and 44.4% (12 of 27) of their three-pointers.
In the first ten minutes of play, the teams combined for 19 attempts from beyond the arc. Arkansas was 5 out of 12 and Alabama was 3
out of 7.
Twenty seconds into the game, Sarah Ashlee Barker opened the scoring with a three-point shot. Sixteen seconds later, Maryam Dauda
of Arkansas responded with a three-pointer to tie the score at three points.
For the majority of the first quarter, there was back and forth. The Razorbacks led 14–11 after Dauda’s second three-pointer, but
Jessica Timmons’ three-pointer tied the score once more.
Saylor Poffenbarger’s three-pointer with 47 seconds remaining in the first quarter gave Arkansas a 20-19 edge going into the second
quarter, but Alabama had taken a 20-16 lead.
Starting the second quarter with free throws, the Crimson Tide lead by five points.
Scott made his first appearance back in six games on Thursday. Coming into the game, his 22.3 points per game led the SEC. Due to a
back issue, she had not played since a loss against Kentucky on January 4. She finished with 10 points on 3-of-14 shooting on
Thursday night.
With 16.6 points per game coming into the game, Barker was seventh in the SEC going into it. She scored 11 of her game-high 25
points in the first half.
Early in the third quarter, Poffenbarger hit a three-point shot to bring Arkansas within 47-32 and force an Alabama timeout. With a
four-point play by Aaliyah Nye, the Crimson Tide defeated the Razorbacks 24–19 to close out the quarter.
Alabama led 71–51 going into the fourth quarter.
Nye scored 71 three-pointers to lead the SEC.
Nye’s performance occurred two weeks after the teams’ game in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where Arkansas shut her out for just five points.
After Scott’s three-pointer with 4:26 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Razorbacks were able to close the gap to 76-65 and create
some intrigue.
With 3:38 left, Samara Spencer sank two free throws to get Arkansas to within 76-67, but Barker made back-to-back layups to increase
Alabama’s lead to 80-67.
With 2:23 remaining, Makayla Daniels made a three-pointer to cut the score to 80-70, but Weathers answered with one of her own to
put Alabama ahead by 13 once more.
In 30 minutes, Poffenbarger scored 23 points on 9 of 18 shots and pulled down 11 rebounds. She had recorded seven double-doubles
this season.
Spencer chipped in 14 points and 7
In Fayetteville, it was Alabama’s second straight triumph. Last season, in dramatic fashion, the Crimson Tide prevailed 69-66 when
Hannah Barber made the game-winning three-pointer with eight seconds left.
Following the defeat, Arkansas entered a three-way tie for sixth place in the SEC with Alabama and Vanderbilt.
The Razorbacks will play Auburn on Sunday at 5 p.m.; the SEC Network will televise the game.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
