Category: Arkansas women’s basketball

Arkanasas guard Samara Spencer to enter transfer portal

Spencer’s exit follow Taliah Scott’s and Saylor Poffenbarger’s. Things are not exactly grand for the program.

Samara Spencer, who spent most of the last two years as Arkansas basketball’s most consistent player, will enter the transfer portal, according to reports.

Spencer was the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2022 and averaged 13.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists as a junior in the most recent season. She ranks 16th on Arkansas’ all-time scoring list and 10th on the school’s all-time assists list.

With Spencer’s exit, Arkansas has only one starter from last year’s team set to return as of Wednesday: Bentonville native Maryam Dauda.

Spencer joins Taliah Scott and Saylor Poffenbarger as players who have entered the portal since the season ended. Scott is set to play at Auburn next year and Poffenbarger will play for her home state Maryland Terrapins. Makayla Daniels’ eligibility was exhausted.

Arkansas finished the 2023-24 season with an 18-15 record and were 6-10 in the SEC. Those marks were the program’s worst since coach Mike Neighbors’ first season of 2016-17. The Razorbacks lost their first game of the postseason in the WBIT, formerly WNIT.

Neighbors did had from the transfer portal, as well. Former Arkansas State guard Izzy Higginbottom and Barton Community College forward Vera Ojenuwa will play for the Razorbacks in 2024-25.

Arkansas loses top assistant coach to Alabama

Arkansas has already lost two players to the transfer portal since the end of last season. Now, the Razorbacks women’s basketball team is losing an assistant coach — and to SEC rival Alabama, no less.

The Arkansas Razorbacks women’s basketball team has already lost three players to the transfer portal since the end of last season. Now, the Hogs are losing an assistant coach to SEC rival Alabama.

Pauline Love, a top assistant and recruiting coordinator, has been hired to the same position on Alabama coach Kristy Curry’s staff.

Love had been a member of Mike Neighbors’ Arkansas staff since his first season as head coach of the program in 2017.

“We are so excited to welcome Pauline to our Alabama family,” Curry said in a press released Friday. “She is one of the best recruiters in the country! With her background and having played at three levels along with her experience as a coach, she will bring in valuable knowledge and will share her experiences with our student-athletes to really connect to them. Pauline is going to bring energy and excitement to our program in all areas and our staff is so excited to have her at the Capstone.”

Alabama is coming off a 24-win season that included a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Arkansas went 18-15 last season and fell to Tulsa, 80-62, in the opening round of the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT). The Hogs have had back to back disappointing seasons under Neighbors, missing the NCAA Tournament in both years after previously making the tournament in 2021 and 2022.

The Hogs have also lost three key players since the transfer portal opened last month.

Taliah Scott, who led the team with 22.1 points per game in her freshman season in 2023-24, entered the portal, as did Saylor Poffenbarger, the team’s leading rebounder.

Jersey Wolfenbarger left via the portal, as well. She recently committed to coach Kim Mulkey’s LSU program.

How warm is Mike Neighbors’ seat? Arkansas coach feeling pressure

The Arkansas women’s basketball team was trending up when Donald Trump was president. Coincidence? Well, yes, but still.

Mike Neighbors’ tenure at Arkansas looks a lot like a Bell curve.

The Arkansas women’s basketball coach, now nearing the end of his seventh season running the program, has his work cut out for him this week. The Razorbacks are not in the current picture when it comes to the NCAA Tournament and the WNIT is questionable, too, after the Razorbacks lost to Auburn in the SEC Tournament on Thursday.

The Hogs closed their season on a five-game losing streak, not exaclty the stuff that makes for an appealing resume for an invitational tournament.

Such tenuous circumstances have been the standard for the Razorbacks in recent years. After a slow start at Arkansas – a 13th-place finish in Neighbors’ first season – the team increased its win total for those first three years, from 13 to 22 to 24. In SEC play, the total went from 3 to 6 to 10. Coming out of COVID, even, Arkansas still looked sharp, finishing 19-9 overall and 9-6 in the SEC. That season earned the Hogs a No. 4-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Its crashed ever since. Arkansas lost to Wright State in the first round and followed the next season with a 23-point loss as a 10-seed to Utah in the first. Last year, Arkansas made the WNIT. A nice run gave hope that 2023-24 would be a turnaround.

It wasn’t. For whatever reason – and theories run the gamut from ‘sure, that makes to sense’ to ‘whatever, you’re insane’ – Neighbors has been unable to recapture whatever it was that made the Razorbacks stalwarts in the late Donald Trump era.

The Hogs don’t lack talent. Taliah Scott is the best scorer in the league and she’s just a freshman. Yes, she was out a lot down the stretch, which is part of the reason for Arkansas’ struggles, then, but the Razorbacks weren’t exactly blowing the doors off of people when she was healthy. Samara Spencer and MiKayla Daniels are established SEC starters. Saylor Poffenbarger, too.

Depth has been a big problem for the team in recent years. Arkansas’ recruiting classes have left a bit to be desired, leading to a team this year that saw only two reserves average double-digit minutes a game. Sasha Goforth’s illness certainly didn’t help Arkansas’ depth, either.

The question is how much longer the school is willing to roll with it. Arkansas is by no means a bad team. On the verge of the NCAA Tournament is a reasonable place to be a sport that is notoriously harder to crack than on the men’s side. But treading ground is only justifiable for so long.

Anything less than that? Let’s just say things are precarious, even if this particular writer thinks they shouldn’t be.

Yet.

Arkansas gets 10-seed, will play Auburn in SEC Tournament

Arkansas will have to beat Auburn then LSU just to have a sniff at the NCAA Tournament. It isn’t likely.

The Arkansas women’s basketball has one final shot to make the NCAA Tournament and it starts with beating Auburn.

The Razorbacks are the 10-seed in the SEC Tournament after falling to Ole Miss in the regular-season finale Sunday and will play the Tigers on Thursday in Greenville, South Carolina. Arkansas beat Auburn when, 84-82, when the two teams met February 4 in Fayetteville.

Arkansas needs probably three wins in the SEC Tournament to get back in the NCAA conversation. Even then, the going will likely be tough as the team finished just 6-10 in conference play, struggling late, especially, without guard Taliah Scott, who hasn’t played since February 12. The Razorbacks went just 1-4 down the stretch without her and finished the regular season on a four-game skid.

The winner of the Auburn and Arkansas game gets the misfortune of playing LSU in the next round. The Tigers are considered Tier-2 contenders for the national title after unbeaten No. 1-seed South Carolina.

Thursday’s game against Auburn tips at 5 p.m. on SEC Network.

Arkansas struggles in second half, falls on the road to Texas A&M

The Arkansas women’s got outscored by 16 in the second half in a 73-67 loss to Texas AQ&M.

Despite holding a 10-point lead at halftime on Thursday, the Arkansas women’s basketball team let off the gas after the break and fell to Texas A&M, 73-67, in College Station.

The Aggies (17-9, 6-7 SEC) outscored the Razorbacks (18-10, 6-7 SEC) in the second half, 53-37.

Junior Samara Spencer led all scorers with 24 points, including a clutch three-pointer late in the game, to give Arkansas it’s final lead, 65-64. But A&M finished the game on a 9-2 run to put it on ice.

After trailing 15-13 at the end of the first quarter, Arkansas began to heat up in the second, outscoring the Aggies 17-8, to take a 30-20 lead into the half.

Sophomore Maryam Dauda and senior Makayla Daniels opened the second half with back-to-back threes, but allowed the Aggies to answer both shots with layups on the other end. Texas A&M went on an 8-0 run to go up 36-32 with 7:15 left in the third.

A layup by Dauda, off an offensive board, tied the game at 41-41. After the Hogs took a two-point lead, the Aggies drained a three to end the quarter with a 49-48 advantage.

An 8-2 run to start the fourth period increased the Aggie lead to seven. A three from sophomore Saylor Poffenbarger, and a pair of Spencer free throws, kept the Razorbacks within four. Spencer hit a short jumper, then a triple, to give Arkansas its final lead with less than three minutes to play.

A&M scored the next six points to secure the path to victory.

Spencer went 9-of-18 from the field, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and 4-of-5 from the line, to record her sixth 20-point game of the season. She also registered three rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal.

Dauda netted 17 points, going 7-of-12 from the field and 2-of-3 from the arc, while tacking on six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three steals. Daniels finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists in 39 minutes of action, while

Arkansas will next host Vanderbilt on Sunday for “Pack for Mak” to honor Daniels’ Senior Day, with a 2 p.m. tipoff on SECN+.

Dauda spurs on Razorbacks to 12th straight win over Mizzou

Sophomore Maryam Dauda scored a career-high 18 points Sunday, to lead the Lady Razorbacks to a win over border-rival Missouri.

Sophomore Maryam Dauda poured in a career-high 18 points, including 13 in the pivotal third quarter, as the Arkansas women’s basketball team toppled border-rival Missouri, 75-68, for their 12th straight win over the Lady Tigers.

The Bentonville product led five Razorbacks in double-digit scoring, as she knocked down 8 of 12 shots from the field, while adding five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal.

Arkansas (18-9, 6-6 SEC) went into the fourth quarter up by 20, but allowed Missouri to cut the lead to five with 24 seconds left in the game. Junior Samara Spencer and senior Makayla Daniels combined to hit 5-for-6 free throws in the final moments to preserve the victory.

The Tigers opened the game hot from the three-point line, sinking three of their first four from beyond the arc, and led 15-6 midway through the first period.

Sophomore Saylor Poffenbarger‘s layup sparked a 7-0 run for the Razorbacks, highlighted by a Dauda’s conventional three-point play, to cut the lead to two.

Sophomore Carly Keats opened the second quarter with a triple to give Arkansas its first lead of the game, and send the Hogs on a 13-0 run. Another Keats three put the Razorbacks in front 32-25 with just under seven minutes left in the first half.

Poffenbarger drained another three-pointer to spur a 6-0 run late in the half, as Arkansas outscored Missouri 25-11 in the quarter, and led 48-36 at the intermission. The 6-foot-2 Poffenbarger finished with her ninth double-double of the season, scoring 13 points and pulling down 11 rebounds.

The Razorbacks extended the margin to 64-44 heading into the final frame. But the Lady Tigers began to turn the tide, opening with a three, while Arkansas went cold on it’s first four possession of the period. Missouri (11-14, 2-10 SEC) outscored the Hogs 24-11 in the final 10 minutes, but Daniels scored five of her 14 points down the stretch to help preserve the win.

Daniels was 4 of 5 from the field and is now fifth in career points at Arkansas with 1,791, She also added six rebounds, two assists and one steal, tying her for third in career steals with 239.

Spencer also tallied 14 points, with six assists, while Keats finished with 11 points, in her first game back from a broken nose.

Arkansas was without the SEC’s leading scorer, freshman Taliah Scott, who had to return home to Florida, due to a “serious family emergency,” according to the Razorback Sports Network.

Arkansas will hit the road to face Texas A&M on Thursday at 7 p.m. The game will be aired on SECN+.

Arkansas women’s basketball drops two straight for the first time this season

The Arkansas women fell into an early hole and could never claw back in a loss at Tennessee.

For the first time this season, the Arkansas women’s basketball team has suffered back-to-back losses, following an 81-55 defeat at the hands of Tennessee in Knoxville Monday night.

Freshman sensation Taliah Scott, the SEC’s leading scorer, poured in a game-high 23 points, leading the Hogs in scoring for the 15th time this season. It was also her 19th time scoring double-digits in 20 games this season, and the 13th time she topped 20 points.

Tennessee began the game on a 12-0 run and never relinquished control, leading by as many as 27 in the fourth quarter.

Already playing with a short bench, it didn’t help matters that Arkansas got into early foul trouble. Sophomores Saylor Poffenbarger and Maryam Dauda each had three fouls before halftime. Tennessee then finished the half with four unanswered points to go to the break, up 40-24.

The Vols opened the second half with a three, before extended the lead to 24 midway through the third, then took a 63-37 lead into the final frame.

Dauda was the only other Razorback player with double-digit points, netting 10, with five rebounds and two assists.

Arkansas will next host Missouri on Sunday at 3 p.m., with the game airing on the SEC Network.

Lady Razorbacks stumble in fourth, fall to Florida on the road, 85-81

Arkansas women’s basketball team surrendered a 10-point fourth quarter lead Thursday night in a loss at Florida.

After outgunning Florida in the second and third quarters, the Arkansas women’s basketball team surrendered a 10-point fourth-quarter lead Thursday night, falling to the Gators in Gainesville, 85-81.

Senior Makayla Daniels guided Arkansas’ offensive attack, dropping a game-high 26 points, including 5 of 6 from beyond the arc. Two of the Lady Razorbacks’ starting guards returned to their home state for the game, and each turned in impressive performances.

Freshman Taliah Scott, the SEC’s leading scorer this season, is from nearby Orange Park, and netted 20 points, with two rebounds and two assists. Sophomore Samara Spencer, from Fort Lauderdale, chipped in 13 for the Lady Razorbacks, with a game-high four assists and two steals.

Florida (12-9, 3-6 SEC) looked to take control of the game early, using an 11-0 run midway through the first quarter, while holding Arkansas scoreless for over three minutes, and taking a 22-13 lead.

The Razorbacks (17-8, 5-5 SEC) then erupted in the second quarter, scoring 35 points in the frame, and taking a 48-46 lead into the half. They converted 11-of-17 shots in the quarter, including 5-of-9 from the three-point line.

A jumper by Scott at the end of the third period gave Arkansas a 71-61 lead heading to the fourth.

The Gators began the final period on a 7-0 to cut the lead to three, knocking down a pair of early treys. The teams then battled back and fourth, with Arkansas taking a 76-73 lead with 5:55 remaining.

After a timeout, Florida scored 11 straight points, including a pair of steals and back-to-back layups. After a three-point play by Daniels and a layup by Spencer cut the lead to 82-81, the Lady Razorbacks would not score again in the final 2:01.

Sophomore Saylor Poffenbarger turned in another impressive double-double for Arkansas, scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

The Lady Razorbacks will return to the court on Monday, as they travel to Tennessee for a 6 p.m. tip, on the SEC Network.

Super freshman Scott pours in 33 as Lady Razorbacks topple Auburn

Freshman Scott scores 17 of her game-high 33 points in the third quarter to lead the Lady Razorbacks to victory.

Down by nine at the half, the Arkansas women’s basketball team erupted for 31 points in the third quarter Sunday, to take command. But it was a pair of stout defensive stops at the end of the game that helped preserve a nail-biting 74-72 win over Auburn, in front of 4,450 fans inside Bud Walton Arena.

Super freshman Taliah Scott put on a show, once again, scoring 17 of her game-high 33 points in that third period. The SEC’s leading scorer – averaging 21.5 per game – drained 6 of 12 from beyond the 3-point line to top 30 points for the third time this season.

After Auburn (14-8, 3-6 SEC) shot out of the gates with a 6-0 lead, the Tigers then held Arkansas scoreless for nearly four minutes, later in the first quarter, to take a 17-6 lead.

The Lady Razorbacks (17-7, 5-4 SEC) missed their first nine shots from beyond the arc and trailed by 14 midway through the second quarter, before Scott hit from downtown and began to sway the momentum. Arkansas outscored Auburn 19-17 in the second stanza, but still trailed 34-25 at the intermission.

Scott and senior Makayla Daniels sank back-to-back triples within a 20-second span early in the third quarter, which pulled the Hogs to within five. Another three from Scott then cut it to two. And after Auburn made a free throw, Scott canned yet another triple to tie the score at 41-41.

Scott and Daniels then converted a pair of three-point plays, in the midst of an 18-1 Arkansas run, leading the Hogs to a a 56-45 lead heading to the fourth quarter.

Scott began the final frame with her sixth three of the night, extending the Razorback lead to 14. But a late 9-1 Auburn run helped trim the lead to one. The game was tied at 67-67 with 1:24 remaining, as Daniels sank a pair of free throws, only to see the Tigers convert a layup to knot the score once again.

Junior Samara Spencer converted a three-point play – with a layup and free throw – to put the Hogs back up by three with 37 seconds left.

After a big defensive stop by Arkansas, Scott was fouled and made a pair of free throws, before Auburn drained a three to cut the lead to 74-72. The Tigers then missed a layup with two seconds remaining, but got the rebound, only to miss another shot at the buzzer.

Daniels finished with 15 points and six rebounds, while sophomore Maryam Dauda picked up a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore Saylor Poffenbarger, the SEC’s second leading rebounder, scored just four points, but grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds for the Razorbacks.

Arkansas will next travel to Florida on Thursday, with a trip to Tennessee the following Monday, before returning home to host Missouri on Feb. 18.

Razorbacks’ up-and-down season dipped Thursday against Alabama

Arkansas is very much still in the hunt for the NCAA Tournament, though Thursday’s loss is a punch in the mouth.

The Arkansas women’s basketball team is the prototype for a bubble team when it comes to NCAA Tournament chances in March.

The Razorbacks aren’t in March yet, of course, so plenty of time exists between now and then get off the bubble. On Thursday, though, it more like an out of the frying pan and into the fire situation.

Arkansas didn’t require a win against Alabama, but an 86-70 defeat at the hands of the Crimson Tide was about as poorly as things could have gone in Tuscaloosa. Five Alabama players scored in double figures and the home team shot an even 50% from the floor in the mopping.

After the result, the two teams are tied in the smack middle of the SEC standings, each at 4-4 in league play. Six teams are behind and five are in front, while Vanderbilt, too, sits at .500.

Arkansas has not had a winning stretch longer than three this year, but the Razorbacks haven’t lost back-to-back games, either. They get another chance to get over the proverbial .500 hump Sunday at home against Auburn, one of those just-behind teams.