Tag: Amber Ramirez

Arkansas should be sniffing Top 25 after beating LSU handily

LSU was no match for Arkansas on Thursday night in an easy Hogs win from Bud Walton.

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Arkansas basketball is heating up.

And that applies to both the men’s and women’s teams.

Coach Mike Neighbors’ women’s team blasted No. 12 LSU on Thursday night from Bud Walton Arena, 90-76. The game wasn’t even that close as the Razorbacks took a 20-point lead into the fourth quarter.

The victory was the team’s third in their last four games. Other than a surprise loss to Vanderbilt, the only other two defeats Arkansas has had in SEC play have come at the hands of No. 4 Tennessee and No. 1 South Carolina and the Hogs (14-6, 4-3) were in both of those until the fourth.

Amber Ramirez scored 25 points and Samara Spencer and Makayla Daniels each added 20 in the win Thursday. As a team Arkansas shot 13 of 25 from 3-point range and held LSU to just 4 of 14 from range. The Hogs also forced 16 turnovers and scored 20 off of them to counter a 10-rebound deficit on the glass.

The Razorbacks will get their second ranked team in a row come Monday when they travel to Knoxville for a second game against the Volunteers.

Ramirez flirts with triple-double, Razorbacks win

Triple-doubles are rare in college basketball, but one Arkansas player came awfully close Thursday.

All five Arkansas starters scored in double figures and the Razorbacks rolled Alabama on Thursday night, 99-71.

The win provided an impressive bounce back for coach Mike Neighbors’ team after falling to No.1 South Carolina in the week. It also kept Arkansas in the middle of the pack in the SEC right in the mix of an NCAA Tournament bid.

Amber Ramirez led the team with 19 points as she shot 7 of 9 from the floor and 5 of 6 from 3-point range. The efficiency shooting was a theme as the Razorbacks shot 59% as a team and made 15 of 29 from beyond the arc.

Ramirez flirted with a triple-double, too, grabbing nine rebounds and doling out seven assists. She was joined in double figures scoring by her fellow starters Jersey Wolfenbarger (12 points), Makayla Daniels and Samara Spencer (18 apiece) and Sasha Goforth (11).

Forward Erynn Barnum also played for the first time since December 5 as she returned from a knee injury. The team’s best rebounder, Barnum scored eight points and had four boards in just 10 minutes.

The Razorbacks return to Bud Walton Arena on Sunday to play Mississippi State.

Arkansas rally against No. 1 team in the nation falls just short

Arkansas gave No. 1 South Carolina all it could handle at Bud Walton Arena.

South Carolina is bigger, stronger, longer and generally better than almost every team it plays. The Gamecocks are the top-ranked team in the nation for a reason.

Arkansas gave the No. 1 in women’s college basketball a run for its money Sunday afternoon at Bud Walton Arena, but fell, 61-52.

South Carolina opened a lead as large as 20 points in the third quarter as Arkansas went scoreless for almost six minutes. Much of that was because of South Carolina’s size. Dawn Staley’s team outrebounded the Razorbacks 45-25, blocked eight Arkansas shots and held the home squad to just 28% from the floor.

A 13-2 Hogs run to start the fourth, however, pulled Arkansas within four points with just over four minutes left. But South Carolina scored six points in quick succession to follow.

Aliyah Boston had 19 points and 13 rebounds for South Carolina. Makayla Daniels led the Hogs with 17 points. Amber Ramirez added 14.

Arkansas snaps SEC skid, beats Missouri

Arkansas looked more like the NCAA Tournament it is supposed to be with a win over Missouri.

The Arkansas women’s basketball team put a stop to its 0-2 start in SEC play on Sunday with an 83-73 win over Missouri.

Rylee Langerman had a career high 17 points off the bench as the Razorbacks finished with five players in double figures scoring. Amber Ramirez led the team with 21, going 10 of 11 from the free-throw line.

The Tigers were a dangerous opponent entering the game, having won five straight, including a victory of over then No. 1 South Carolina a couple weeks ago. But Arkansas was never in serious trouble. The Hogs led by as many as 20 points in the second half.

It was a step in the right direction for a team that has visions of an NCAA Tournament berth. But a loss to Vanderbilt, a team picked 14th in the 14-team SEC, before the Missouri game had put a dent into the hopes.

“We took our punches. We learned some valuable, valuable lessons. I know I did as a coach,” Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors said. “I know they did individually. We got a few things fixed, not everything. We’ve still got a lot more work to do, but I’ve got to feel like that was one of our best efforts of the season.”

Arkansas has a week off before South Carolina visits Bud Walton Arena on Thursday.

Arkansas falls to 0-2 in SEC with loss at Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt was predicted last in the SEC before beating Arkansas on Thursday.

Arkansas basketball is struggling across the board right now.

Two days after the men’s team dropped to 0-2 in the SEC because of Vanderbilt, the women’s team did the same.

Arkansas shot just 28% in a 54-51 loss in Nashville. The defeat is the Razorbacks’ third straight and second straight to open conference play. They lost to Tennessee in the conference opener Sunday.

Makayla Daniels, who shot just 2 of 14 from the field but led the team with an average of 14 points a game entering, gave Arkansas an opportunity to tie the game in the final seconds with a 3-pointer from the top, but it bounced awry to end the game.

Arkansas guard Sasha Goforth scored 17 points and had 11 rebounds while guard Amber Ramirez had 15 points, all on 3-pointers.

The Razorbacks host Missouri on Sunday

Vanderbilt led by as many as 10 in the half at 29-19, but Elauna Eaton drained back to back three-pointers to get Arkansas within 29-25. Alexander scored 11 first-half points to help the Commodores get going and lead 29-25 at halftime.

Arkansas continues league play by hosting Missouri on Sunday. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. Missouri had to rally to defeat Auburn 72-63 in overtime on Thursday.

Arkansas drops physical game to No. 7 Tennessee

Tennessee shot 36 free throws to Arkansas’ 11 in the Volunteers’ win as five Hogs foul out.

Five Arkansas players fouled out while No. 7 Tennessee didn’t have any disqualifications in the Volunteers’ 70-63 win Sunday afternoon in Bud Walton Arena.

The Razorbacks led by nine points in the third quarter thanks in large part to Amber Ramirez’ season-high 26 points. It was her first game since December 12 as she returned from an undisclosed injury.

“Coming into the game we knew it was going to be physical with them,” Ramirez said. “It was just a tough game overall. I feel like we battled to the very end.”

Tennessee’s Tamari Key had 17 points, seven rebounds and five blocks, including three in the fourth quarter. She scored five straight points and seven of Tennessee’s 10 during a 10-3 Volunteers run in the fourth quarter that put them ahead for good.

Arkansas starters Makayla Daniels, Jersey Wolfenbarger and Sasha Goforth were among those who fouled out. Daniels joined Ramirez in double figures with 11 points.

Tennessee made 23 of 36 free throws to Arkansas’ 9-of-11.

Arkansas returns to SEC play on Thursday when it travels to Vanderbilt.

Razorbacks women have off night, still take down Southern Methodist

Arkansas women overcome bad shooting night to get past SMU, 65-58.

The Arkansas women’s basketball won its second straight game Monday night, beating Southern Methodist in Bud Walton Arena, 65-58.

Three different Hogs players scored in double figures, led by Erynn Barnum’s 18. Makayla Daniels added 16 and Amber Ramirez had another 11. SMU was led by Savannah Wilkinson’s 20.

The Razorbacks (4-1) next play Saturday afternoon against Sam Houston State at home. Arkansas’ only loss so far this season came at No. Connecticut back on November 14.

Coach Mike Neighbors’ team led by as many as 14 in the fourth quarter, but a 12-3 SMU run tightened things in the final three minutes. The Mustangs proceeded to shoot just 1 for 4 and commit two turnovers the rest of the way.

Arkansas shot just 39% from the field for the game, including 4 of 20 from 3-point range. The Razorbacks also only made 11 of 27 free throws. SMU helped by committing 16 turnovers, which Arkansas converted into 18 points.