Arkansas walked off the Bud Walton Arena floor Thursday night with another loss, but not without proof it’s getting closer.
A late cold stretch cost Arkansas its first SEC win in an 87-82 loss to Missouri, yet the Razorbacks made the Tigers sweat until the final seconds.
It was Arkansas’ 10th straight defeat, but also the most narrow during a skid that keeps testing patience more than record.
Missouri coach Kellie Harper said before the game she expected a fight. She got one.
“I’ll be honest with you, we felt like we were going to be in a battle when we started the game,” Harper said. “We just felt like the way Arkansas has been playing as of late and us losing [center Jordan Reisma] before the game…we had a huge challenge.”
That challenge showed up in missed chances, momentum swings, and long stretches where neither side blinked. The Hogs simply ran out of shots at the worst time.
Arkansas made just one of its final nine attempts from the field. That drought turned opportunity into frustration in the closing minutes. The lone basket was a late 3-pointer by Taleyah Jones with 21 seconds left, a shot that trimmed the margin but didn’t change the outcome.
The Razorbacks trailed 78-76 with under three minutes remaining. Maria Anais Rodriguez scored inside to keep hope alive. After that, the rim might as well have shrunk.
Missouri responded with clutch finishes from Grace Slaughter and Shannon Dowell. Free throws followed. The Tigers didn’t panic. Arkansas couldn’t break through.
Kelsi Musick didn’t hide the pain afterward.
“It’s definitely tough,” she said. “I mean, it sucks, quite frankly. It’s hard. And honestly, I feel bad for my team, because they’re playing so hard.”
Musick stressed patience more than panic. The message hasn’t changed, even as losses pile up.
“But like I reminded them today, the margin of error is very small, and we still made some mistakes that are fixable,” she said. “No matter what, they have to stay the course.”
Missouri survives, Arkansas searches
Missouri’s win completed a season sweep, but it didn’t resemble the Tigers’ 94-69 blowout in Columbia last month. This one was tight from the opening tip.
Arkansas grabbed early control for the fourth straight game. Jones opened with a jumper and a 3-pointer, pushing the Razorbacks ahead 10-5. It was the largest lead either team would enjoy all night.
The first quarter felt like a shooting drill. Both teams fired from deep without hesitation. Missouri went 12-for-32 from 3-point range. Arkansas answered with 14 makes on 43 attempts.
“I probably wouldn’t have picked 75,” Harper said of the combined attempts. “I thought it would be a high number, [but not that many].”
A late Missouri run flipped the first-quarter score, but Arkansas responded before the horn. Harmonie Ware drilled a 3. Rodriguez followed with a jumper. The Hogs led 22-19 and had controlled most of the opening period.
Wyvette Mayberry kept it going in the second quarter. The senior guard buried back-to-back 3s to give Arkansas a 36-33 edge. By halftime, she had already matched her previous season high with 13 points.
“I’ve been in the gym getting up shots,” Mayberry said. “Whenever you’re getting up shots, it makes you a lot more confident in the game.”
Missouri closed the half stronger, using an 8-2 burst to take a 41-38 lead into the break. The numbers told the story: nine lead changes and eight ties in 20 minutes.
The back-and-forth didn’t stop after halftime. Arkansas surged ahead again on an Emily Robinson 3 and an Ashlynn Chlarson put-back. Then Missouri flipped the game in just 84 seconds.
An 11-0 Tigers run, capped by a Dowell layup, pushed the lead to nine and forced a timeout. Harper called it a turning point, even if the cushion didn’t last.
“I thought it was a huge run for us,” she said. “Just to force the timeout, we had some momentum.”
Shots made, chances missed
Dowell, Slaughter, and Abbey Schreacke carried Missouri. Together, they scored 66 points. Dowell led the way with 25, her best SEC output, and knocked down four 3s after struggling from deep in league play.
“Shannon’s really fast with the basketball, and she’s aggressive,” Harper said. “If she’s knocking down those shots, she’s hard to guard.”
Arkansas matched the Tigers shot for shot through three quarters. Jones finished with 24 points. Mayberry added 19. Robinson chipped in 17.
The trio combined for 18 points in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 66-64.
Harper noticed the difference from January.
“They made a lot of shots,” she said. “From an outsider looking in, they’re playing with really good confidence on the offensive end.”
The fourth quarter became a grind. The teams traded baskets seven straight times. Mayberry’s final 3 cut it to 75-74 with just over four minutes left. Arkansas never got closer.
Slaughter’s late layup with 1:10 remaining proved decisive.
“That was a critical, critical shot,” Harper said.
Free throws quietly shaped the ending. Missouri went to the line often enough. Arkansas didn’t. The Razorbacks didn’t attempt their first free throw until late in the third quarter.
“I honestly don’t remember the last time I’ve been a part of a game that took my team that long to get to the free-throw line,” Musick said.
The night carried added meaning. It was Arkansas’ annual Play4Kay game, honoring Kay Yow and supporting breast cancer awareness. Both teams wore pink. The fight matched the moment.
The Razorbacks didn’t get the win they wanted. They did get proof they’re closer than the standings say.
