Hogs’ seniors finish with night to remember, big SEC win

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Hogs’ seniors finish with night to remember, big SEC win

No. 16 Arkansas finished the regular season with a game to remember, blasting Alabama behind a combined 72 points from three seniors for a 94-76 win.

The win finished the regular season with a 19-7 record (9-6 in the SEC. The Crimson Tide finish 15-8 (8-8).

Mike Neighbors’ Hogs went supernova from beyond the arc in the regular season finale, hitting 19 threes as a team, a program single-game record.

That total is also a single-game SEC record. With the win, Arkansas finished with nine SEC wins, only the third time in school history the Razorbacks have reached that threshold (2019-20, 2011-12).

It was a special night for redshirt senior guard Amber Ramirez, who put on arguably her greatest performance as a Razorback in her final game in Bud Walton Arena.

The sharpshooter poured in 35 points, a new career-high, while making eight of her 14 threes, a season-high, and just one make short of tying Wendi Willits’ single-game record.

Fellow seniors Chelsea Dungee and Destiny Slocum got in on the act as well, going for 20 points and 17 points, respectively.

Turning point

The Hogs got off to a blistering start from deep, knocking down eight of their 14 long balls in the first quarter, spearheaded by Ramirez’s five first-quarter threes.

Ramirez sent two more threes home in the second quarter, totaling seven triples in the first half.

Arkansas’ hot shooting helped the Razorbacks build a 51-39 lead over the Crimson Tide heading into halftime.

Alabama started to surge back in the second half, though, winning the third quarter, 19-16, but Arkansas would not be denied on Senior Night.

The Razorbacks dominated the fourth quarter, 27-18, aided by 12 more points from Ramirez in the final frame.

Dungee sealed the three-point record with an incredibly difficult step-back jumper from deep in the game’s final minutes, putting the game on ice.

Hogs highlights

• Dungee went for 20+ yet again, her 12th time in 15 SEC contests going for 20 or more.

• Her double-digit scoring streak also reached 30 games.

• Slocum dished seven assists, a team-high.

• Sophomore Makayla Daniels nearly double-doubled, going for 15 points and a career-best nine rebounds.

• Senior forward Taylah Thomas swatted three shots, her fourth multi-block game this season.

• Despite not scoring a single point, redshirt senior guard Jailyn Mason was a game-high +15.

Next game

With the regular season in the books, Arkansas heads back to Greenville, S.C., where they will take part in the SEC Tournament.

Their first game will come on Thursday, when they will play Ole Miss.

The game will be the nightcap on Thursday, and will be televised on the SEC Network.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.

Neighbors surprised at team’s offensive outburst

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Neighbors surprised at team’s offensive outburst

Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors was a little surprised at shooting nearly 50 percent from the field (and three’s) in overwhelming Alabama.

Ramirez on being ‘in zone’ putting up 35 on Senior Night for Hogs

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Ramirez on being ‘in zone’ putting up 35 on Senior Night for Hogs

Razorbacks senior Amber Ramirez (35 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists) got emotional talking about final game at Bud Walton Arena.

Arkansas falls in long match with four tiebreakers against No. 25 Memphis

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas falls in long match with four tiebreakers against No. 25 Memphis

Arkansas (6-4) dropped a marathon match on Sunday, falling to No. 25 Memphis (5-1) by a score of 5-2.

The teams played through tiebreaker sets on four of six singles courts.

The Razorbacks fell behind after doubles play, dropping two of the three matchups. Hunter Harrison and Enrique Paya paired up for the first time this season and came out with the Hogs’ lone doubles win 6-3 against Memphis’ Oscar Cutting and David Stevenson on court one.

The Tigers secured straight-sets wins on courts four and three to take a 3-0 lead, but Arkansas continued to fight back. On court one, Alex Reco won the first set against James Story, but ultimately dropped the second and third to Story 4-6, 7-5, 7-5. The loss for Reco clinched the win for Memphis.

Arkansas’ Adrien Burdet improved to 7-3 on the season in the No. 5 position. Burdet battled back after Pau Fanlo of Memphis tied the match at one set apiece, coming out on top 6-1, 4-6, 7-5. Maxim Verboven defeated his Tiger foe, earning a win over David Stevenson 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 on court two.

“Again, our effort and competitiveness were there,” said head tennis coach Andy Jackson. “We have to coach and play better and that is what we plan on doing. We have a good opportunity at top-25 Kentucky on Friday night. The team is looking forward to getting to play again.”

Arkansas looks ahead to back-to-back road matches at No. 15 Kentucky on Friday (March 5) and Vanderbilt on Sunday (March 7).

Razorbacks down Missouri on Sunday for ninth straight win

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Razorbacks down Missouri on Sunday for ninth straight win

COLUMBIA, Mo. — No. 24 Arkansas remained undefeated with a 4-2 win over Missouri on Sunday afternoon.

The Razorbacks improved to 9-0 this spring and 3-0 in Southeastern Conference play.

After a weather delay, Arkansas started with singles play and built an advantage early when senior Tatum Rice defeated Missouri’s Valentina Vazquez on court three 6-3, 6-0.

Laura Rijkers followed shortly after with a straight-set win of her own on court six, a 6-3, 6-1 win over Serena Nash. With the win, Rijkers improves to 6-0 on the season in singles play.

The Tigers fired back on courts one and four to tie the score at two match wins apiece. Kelly Keller fell to Bronte Murgett 6-3, 6-4 on court one and Morgan Cross dropped her set to Marta Oliveira on court four 6-3, 6-3.

The Razorbacks regained the lead with a win from Lauren Alter 6-4, 6-4. She defeated Mizzou’s Elys Ventura on court five to put Arkansas out in front, 3-2.

Clinching the win for Arkansas on court two was freshman Indianna Spink. She secured a 6-3 set-one win over her opponent, Ellie Wright, and then found herself trailing 5-2 in the second. Spink made an impressive comeback and ultimately defeated Wright 6-3, 7-5.

The Razorbacks return to Fayetteville for a Friday-Sunday series against SEC foes, No. 10 Vanderbilt and Kentucky. Friday’s match against the Commodores at the Billingsley Tennis Center is set to begin at 3 p.m.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.

Rain shortens Hogs’ 11-4 win to finish sweep over Blackhawks

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Rain shortens Hogs’ 11-4 win to finish sweep over Blackhawks

Only the rain could stop the Razorback offense.

Arkansas picked up its first series sweep of the season, defeating Southeast Missouri State in a rain-shortened, five-inning game on Sunday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium.

The Hogs broke out for 11 runs over the first four innings before the elements wreaked havoc.

With the win, the Razorbacks start the season with a perfect 7-0 record for the second straight year and for the eighth time in the Dave Van Horn era (19 seasons).

Arkansas’ offense was hot from the start despite the steady rain, launching three home runs and collecting double-digit hits for the second game in a row.

Right fielder Cayden Wallace and first baseman Brady Slavens hit back-to-back dingers in the second inning to give the Hogs an early 2-0 lead.

Shortstop Jalen Battles’ second-inning RBI single made it 3-0, providing starter Lael Lockhart an early cushion. The left-hander went 3.2 innings on Sunday, striking out five while allowing three runs on three hits and three walks.

Arkansas’ bats, however, were not done. The Hogs tacked on two more in the third, including one on third baseman Cullen Smith’s RBI double to center, and led 5-1 entering the next inning.

SEMO narrowed the gap with two runs of its own in the top half of fourth, but the Hogs had even more in them.

The Razorbacks exploded for six additional runs, led by designated hitter Matt Goodheart’s two-run homer to right center, and staked an 11-3 lead at the conclusion of the fourth inning. SEMO got one back in the fifth via a home run, but the weather had begun to take a turn for the worse.

After right-hander Kevin Kopps recorded the final out in the top of the fifth on a strikeout, the game entered a rain delay. The umpires reconvened after an initial 30-minute pause and called it for good. The ballgame, which lasted five innings, is ruled an official contest.

Arkansas will take a seven-game winning streak into next weekend’s series against Murray State.

The Racers come to town for a three-game set, which gets started at 3 p.m. Friday, March 5, at Baum-Walker Stadium.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.

Burnside, Haff lead Razorbacks to run-rule win over Texas Tech

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Burnside, Haff lead Razorbacks to run-rule win over Texas Tech

Infielder Braxton Burnside hit two home runs, and pitcher Mary Haff threw a shutout as No. 24 Arkansas run-ruled Texas Tech in six innings, 8-0, in the Razorback Invitational finale at Bogle Park on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

The Razorbacks (11-2) finished the event a perfect 6-0, and in two games against Texas Tech (5-6), outscored the Red Raiders, 17-0.

The Hogs entered the day leading the SEC in home runs and increased their season total to 33, with Burnside’s eight bombs pacing the club.

Infielder Hannah Gammill and infielder Audrie LaValley each reached on walks in the second inning before outfielder Sam Torres laid down a sacrifice bunt, plating Gammill on a throwing error by the Texas Tech pitcher.

Burnside hit the first of her two bombs in the third, putting Arkansas ahead, 2-0. A five-hit, four-run fifth inning blew the game open and gave the Razorbacks a 6-0 lead.

Infielder Danielle Gibson smashed a three-run homer to right center, and catcher Kayla Green lined a two out double to the right centerfield gap, plating another run.

The offense went right back to work in the sixth, with Burnside crushing her second solo jack of the day to left. Gibson and designated player Linnie Malkin both singled, and Gammill walked, setting up LaValley to be hit by a pitch and force across the game-ending run.

Arkansas won three of its six Razorback Invitational games in run-rule fashion.

Haff (6-1) pitched tremendously, scattering three hits — two singles and a double — while not walking a batter. She struck out four and pitched to contact well, registering 11 flyouts.

The redshirt junior did not allow a run over 18.1 innings pitched for the week and struck out 20 with just two walks. Megan Hornback (0-1) allowed all the damage for Texas Tech, pitching 5.2 innings while walking three and striking out two.

Both Burnside and Gibson went 3-for-4 and outfielder Hannah McEwen was 2-for-4 with a pair of singles.

Arkansas continues its homestand hosting the Wooo Pig Classic next weekend and will play five games from Thursday, March 4, through Saturday, March 6.

Van Horn after squeezing in five-inning, rain-shortened, 11-4 win

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Van Horn after squeezing in five-inning, rain-shortened, 11-4 win

Arkansas and Southeast Missouri had to deal with rain that continued but the field was too slick to keep going after five innings in 11-4 Hogs’ win.

Arkansas gets more shots, but falls to Saint Louis, 3-1

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas gets more shots, but falls to Saint Louis, 3-1

Arkansas (10-3, 7-1 SEC) fell on Sunday afternoon to Saint Louis (5-0) by a score of 3-1. Arkansas outshot the Billikens by a 15-6 margin and put six of those on frame.

Game notes

• Saint Louis got on the board after Sophia Stram headed in a corner taken by Hannah Friedrich in the 19th-minute.

• Hannah Larson made it 2-0 SLU just three minutes after half off another cross into the box by the Billikens.

• Parker Goins got the Hogs on the board in the 56th-minute. Ava Tankersley played Goins into space and the senior beat the Saint Louis ‘keeper near post for her sixth goal of the year.

• Emily Groark netted another insurance goal for the Billikens off a strike from the center of the box with just under two minutes to play in the match.

From Colby Hale:

“First, congrats to Saint Louis. It is not easy to come here and win. I thought we got beat in a lot of the areas we normally pride ourselves in. We have a few weeks to get back to some of that and grow!”

Next game

The Razorbacks have a break before an in-state matchup at Arkansas State on Sat., March 20. First kick in Jonesboro is set for 1 p.m.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.

Musselman previews quick turnaround matchup Monday

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Musselman previews quick turnaround matchup Monday

Hogs coach Eric Musselman talked with the media Sunday afternoon about having to turn around after LSU win Saturday for road trip to Columbia.

Razorbacks pick up seventh straight SEC Indoor title Saturday

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Razorbacks pick up seventh straight SEC Indoor title Saturday

In winning a seventh consecutive SEC Indoor championship, No. 1 Arkansas totaled 141 points and bettered the conference field by 60 points.

Since the league expanded to 14 teams in 2012-13, this total for the Razorbacks was the second highest winning score, just 10 shy of the 151 points Arkansas scored in 2019, the last time they hosted the SEC Indoor meet.

“It takes a village and it was very much a combined effort,” said Arkansas women’s head coach Lance Harter. “Our combined effort is a pretty formidable foe, to say the least, as a team. What we’re super excited about is that we were able to get through it relatively happy.

“We had some great breakthrough performances and added a few more individuals to the national lineup. We’ll just look forward coming back here in two weeks and see what the NCAA has to offer.”

The final day started with Krissy Gear producing the lone individual win for the Razorbacks as the claimed the mile after placing second in the race last season. Gear became the fourth consecutive Arkansas runner to win the SEC Indoor mile, joining Nikki Hiltz (2018), Lauren Gregory (2019) and Carina Viljoen (2020).

A 1-3-5-7 finish led to a haul of 22 points for the Razorbacks. Gear’s time of 4:34.72 led the Arkansas crew and she was followed by Gregory (4:35.72), Isabel Van Camp (4:40.20), and Gracie Hyde (4:41.53). Also finishing ninth was Kennedy Thomson (4:45.43).

Arkansas capped the stellar day with a school record in the 4×400 relay, which also broke the meet record set by LSU in 2005 and makes the Razorbacks the sixth fastest school in collegiate history.

Running a time of 3:28.50, the Razorbacks held off the challenge from Kentucky (3:28.82) with a quartet that included Paris Peoples (52.56), Rosey Effiong (52.58), Shafiqua Maloney (51.84), and Kethlin Campbell (52.02).

The performance bettered the UA record of 3:28.70 set at the 2015 NCAA Indoor and included Daina Harper, Sparkle McKnight, Chrishuna Williams and Taylor Ellis-Watson.

“That’s not our A team in the relay,” noted Harter. “Because of the tight schedule, Coach Johnson had to be creative. Everyone of them rose to the challenge. To knock off our school record, which is a special time, I’m super excited because the kids just did a fantastic job of rising.”

Ten Razorback points were scored in the 60m as Jada Baylark jetted to another career best of 7.18, moving into sole possession of the No. 2 mark on the UA all-time list, while Tiana Wilson (7.32) finished sixth.

The 400m crew collected a dozen points off a 3-5-7 finish from Morgan Burks-Magee, who set a career best of 52.10, moving to No. 4 time on the UA all-time list. Following were Effiong (52.30) and Peoples (52.69).

Razorback hurdlers totaled 13 points off a 2-5-8 finish. Daszay Freeman clocked a career best of 8.07, moving to No. 4 on the UA all-time list, as Yovienny Mota lowered her best to 8.14, which improved her Venezuelan national record and moved her to No. 6 on the UA all-time list. Jayla Hollis ran 8.33 for eighth.

A career best of 2:03.12 earned Shafiqua Maloney a bronze medal in the 800 while Quinn Owen (2:09.26) earned a pair of points placing seventh.

In the 200m, Baylark (23.19) led a trio of Razorback scorers in placing fifth while Wilson (23.46) and Hollis (23.78) finished seventh and eighth.

Arkansas rolled up 21 points in the 3,000m as Katie Izzo collected a second silver medal with a 8:56.55 performance while Gregory earned a bronze medal in 9:03.10. Logan Morris (9:10.25) and Abby Gray (9:11.01) finished fifth and sixth.

“It will be a tall order to try to defend both,” noted Harter of having the NCAA Indoor and NCAA Cross Country Championships within a span of four days in March. “The indoor has always been our priority, and we’ll look forward to that in two weeks.

“There are some great competitors from the SEC who will be rivals for us. Then, as we go from coast to coast, there are many a great team out there.”

This marked the eighth time for Arkansas men and women to sweep SEC Indoor titles since joining the league and it’s the fifth time to accomplish the feat since 2012-13 when the conference expanded to 14 schools.

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