Wildcats’ coach Matthew Mitchell talked with the media on his team not playing well enough after falling to Arkansas, 103-85, on Sunday afternoon at Bud Walton Arena.
Razorbacks’ bat crank out three homers in 15-4 win over Cornhuskers
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Arkansas pounded 18 hits and three home runs against Nebraska pitching in a 15-4 five-inning run-rule victory at the Aggie Softball Complex on Sunday morning.
The 18 hits are tied for the fourth-most in a game in school history and 15 runs are tied for sixth-most in a game.
Senior Ryan Jackson, junior Braxton Burnside and sophomore Audrie LaValley all hit their first home runs in a Razorback jersey.
Jackson recorded a career-best five RBIs as part of a 2-for-2 day at the dish, and senior Sydney Parr turned in a career-high four hit game.
Game summary
Arkansas struck first for the fourth time in its first five games and posted a five-run first frame.
Parr led off the game shooting a hit to left and junior Hannah McEwen hit a double off the center field fence to put runners on second and third. Junior Linnie Malkin hit a bouncing single back up the middle to give the Razorbacks a 2-0 lead.
With two on and two out, Jackson smoked a line drive home run over the left field fence to increase the Hogs lead to, 5-0.
The Hogs batted around in the second inning and scored a season-high seven runs in a single frame.
Junior Danielle Gibson grounded out to second base to push Parr across the plate. Jackson blooped a single down the left field line which plated two more runs.
Senior Keely Huffine singled through the left side to load the bases and sophomore Audrie LaValley tomahawked a grand slam to right as the Razorbacks took complete control, 12-0. Parr singled twice and had two of the five Hog hits in the stanza.
Nebraska showed off its bats in the bottom of the third and hit two home runs to make the score, 12-3.
The Razorbacks put three more on the scoreboard via junior Braxton Burnside’s three-run shot to right, the first of her Arkansas career, in the top of the fourth. Nebraska hit another solo homer in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Freshman Jenna Bloom earned the start and threw 2.1 innings. She allowed four hits and three earned runs while striking out a career-best six.
Mary Haff (1-1) was the pitcher of record out of the bullpen. She completed 1.2 frames, struck out two and allowed a single hit.
Freshman Rylin Hedgecock made her collegiate debut in the fifth and struck out the side. Lindsey Walljasper (1-2) took the loss for Nebraska and went 1.2 innings and allowed eight hits, 12 runs, nine earned, with one walk.
Courtney Wallace surrendered 10 hits and allowed three runs over 3.1 innings.
Next game
The Razorbacks travel to the Sunshine State for another five-game weekend at the FGCU Invitational from Friday through Sunday against Memphis, UIC, Furman and the host Eagles, twice.
Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.
Gibson’s blast lifts Razorbacks to sweep over New Mexico State, Bradley
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — With Arkansas down to its final two outs in the top of the seventh inning and trailing by a run in front of a raucous New Mexico State crowd, junior Danielle Gibson blasted the go-ahead two-run home run to left for a 5-4 win.
Earlier in the day, the Hogs defeated Bradley, 12-1, in five innings. Junior Linnie Malkin had a career-day at the dish and launched two dingers and inside the circle, senior Autumn Storms notched two wins.
Game 1: Arkansas 12, Bradley 1 (5 innings)
The Razorback bats did all their damage in three four-run innings and banged out nine hits.
Junior Kayla Green put Arkansas on the scoreboard first with an RBI groundout to the right side that plated senior Sydney Parr.
Malkin crushed her first homer of the season, a three-run shot, into the trees beyond the centerfield fence to kickstart a successful day for the offense.
In the third inning, sophomore Audrie LaValley was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it a 5-0 Arkansas lead. Parr continued her torrid start at the dish and slashed an opposite field bases clearing three-RBI double toward left center to balloon the lead to, 8-0.
The Braves’ lone run was of the unearned variety in the top of the fourth inning as the leadoff batter reached second on a throwing error that sailed past the first base bag. Later in the inning on a delayed steal, a throw went wide of third to score the run.
Arkansas’ offense went right back to work in the bottom of the fourth and began the frame recording three consecutive singles, the third by Green, scored junior Braxton Burnside from second.
Freshman Rylin Hedgecock and senior Aly Manzo both delivered in pinch hit assignments as Hedgecock registered an RBI single to left and Manzo a two RBI knock to center.
The success of the Arkansas’ bats allowed the pitching staff to work low stress innings. Storms (2-0) kept her workload down and earned the three-inning decision.
She surrendered just two hits and fanned two while only throwing 43 pitches. Freshman Jenna Bloom tossed the last two innings in relief and allowed an unearned run and one walk while striking out three.
Morgan Radford (0-2) took the decision for the Braves and went three innings allowing seven hits, 11 runs, seven earned runs and four walks.
Nine different Arkansas batters collected a hit and the Hogs hit .357 (5-for-14) with runners in scoring position. Green and senior Ryan Jackson each scored two runs.
Game 2: Arkansas 5, New Mexico State 4
For the first time this season the opposition scored first against the Razorbacks.
New Mexico State hit three solo home runs in the bottom of the second to go up, 3-0.
Senior Keely Huffine and LaValley both singled to begin the Arkansas fifth inning, after a fielder’s choice and a flyout, the Razorbacks still had runners on first and second.
Burnside came through and hit a scorching two-out single to center that sent home the first Arkansas run.
Arkansas scored another single tally in the top of the sixth inning. Malkin and Jackson both singled with one out.
After a flyout, LaValley dribbled an infield single deep in the hole to short which scored sophomore pinch runner Sam Torres and brought the Razorbacks within one, 3-2.
McEwen sent a single to center to leadoff the Hogs seventh inning and Burnside put down a sacrifice bunt to move her to second.
That set up Gibson’s long ball that gave Arkansas a 4-3 advantage. The very next batter, Malkin gave the team a much needed insurance run on a solo homer, her second of the day.
The Aggies plated an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh inning on an error but could not complete the comeback.
Storms (3-0) was the third Razorback to step inside the circle during the game and threw 2.2 innings. She allowed two hits, one unearned run, one walk and struck out four.
Bloom provided 3.1 valuable relief innings, did not allow a run and punched out a career-best five. Matalasi Faapito (0-1) took the decision for NM State and allowed 10 hits, four earned runs, one walk and struck out five. Chloe Rivas provided an inning of relief and allowed two hits and one earned run.
The Razorbacks collected a season-high 12 hits.
Next game
Arkansas closes out its first weekend of competition at the Troy Cox Classic with a single game against Nebraska at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 9.
Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.
Musselman won’t make any excuses, but Hogs playing shorthanded now
Eric Musselman doesn’t make excuses, even after a second straight overtime loss Saturday that every fan will be wondering how it could have been with a healthy Isaiah Joe.
Joe’s long-range bombing is sidelined while he rehabs from knee surgery Tuesday. Whether anybody wants to admit it or not, that has changed how Arkansas plays offensively.
Let’s face it, they don’t have a lot of options.
That showed dramatically in an 83-79 loss at Missouri, which comes after a 79-76 loss to Auburn on Tuesday, was when the problems with this Razorbacks’ team showed up.
We’ve been expecting it. Sooner or later, teams that rely on guards and shooting with just seven players have one of those games where, well, it just doesn’t work.
When Joe went down Mason Jones was able to pick up the slack, scoring over 40 in three straight games, but it all broke down against the Tigers.
“If you don’t rebound the ball, then you foul when you defend, you are going to get a result that you don’t like,” Musselman said later.
As mentioned earlier, he doesn’t make excuses. Especially for defense which is something that should be able to go on the road and work. The Hogs were called for 32 fouls and Missouri converted that to 34 points.
And it could have been worse. The Tigers missed 10 free throws.
Musselman couldn’t even keep up with how many fouled out of the game. He said later it was three, but it was actually four guys. Adrio Bailey, Desi Sills, Mason Jones and Reggie Chaney all ran out of fouls. Desi Sills and Jimmy Whitt, Jr., finished with four.
“We just had some guys not bend their knees, get in a stance,” Musselman said.
The rebounding didn’t help, either. For a team that did well on the defensive end early, getting out-rebounded 36-24 against Missouri put them in a hole and they complicated things with bad defense.
“If you don’t rebound the ball and then you foul when you defend, then you are going to get a result that you don’t like,” Musselman said.
For yet another game, this team didn’t start well in a first half that saw the Hogs trail by as much as nine, yet somehow managed to stay with six at the break, 36-30.
“You kind of get what you deserve if you can’t get open in the first half,” Musselman said. “We turned the ball over too many times in the first half. Missouri was way more aggressive. They denied and we didn’t cut hard enough.”
That’s the technical part. What Musselman didn’t mention was how things have changed offensively with Joe out. He was shooting 34 percent of his 3-pointers, which forced the defense out and opened things for Jones, Whitt and Sills.
The Hogs have been scrambling since he tweaked the knee and wasn’t himself for a couple of games before having the surgery. Musselman has even had to play Bailey and Chaney at the same time.
“When we play two bigs, it’s a big-time struggle offensively,” he said.
It wasn’t Chaney’s fault. He hit 50 percent from the field and put up 17 points, plus had 11 rebounds. Bailey made all three of his attempts and finished with 10 points, but just three rebounds.
And they don’t have a lot of time to figure it out.
Arkansas will be on the road again Tuesday, going to Tennessee, another team trying to figure things out after being thumped by Kentucky at home Saturday, 77-64.
Just remember, with a two-game losing streak Musselman hasn’t lost three in a row in his career. Somehow he’s always figured it out.
It will be interesting to see how he figures this one out.
Crouser gets win at Millrose Games on Saturday with world-leading effort
NEW YORK — Arkansas volunteer assistant coach Ryan Crouser opened his season with a shot put victory at the 113th Millrose Games on Saturday, producing a world-leading mark of 72-9¾ (22.19).
Joe Kovacs, the 2019 World champion, finished second with a toss of 70-0¼ (21.34) as Payton Otterdahl placed third with a 69-2¾ (21.10).
Featuring the shot put in the middle of the infield at the Armory Track and Field Center, Crouser and Kovacs each opened the competition with identical marks of 69-8¼ (21.24) to lead the field of six throwers.
Crouser, who set the Millrose Games meet record of 73-3¼ (22.33) last year, improved his mark in three consecutive rounds, from 70-10 (21.69) in round three to 71-2 (21.69) and then his winning effort in round five.
Kovacs bettered the 70-foot distance once, in the third stanza.
The 2016 Olympic champion, Crouser is in his first season as a volunteer assistant with the Razorbacks.
His Millrose meet record set in 2019 ranks fourth in the world all-time and third among Americans.
Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.
Late surge lifts Virginia Tech past Arkansas in Las Vegas matches
LAS VEGAS — Arkansas built a 3-2 advantage but saw Virginia Tech record victories on the final two courts and grab a 4-3 win Saturday afternoon at the Lied Athletic Complex.
The match was an epic battle between two top 50 squads. The Razorbacks, who started off strong by winning the doubles point, fell behind in singles but secured victories on courts two and five.
Doubles
Arkansas did quick work in doubles for a 1-0 lead in the team scoring. No. 22 Tatum Rice and Lauren Alter registered a 6-1 win while Thea Rice and Laura Rijkers clinched their fourth doubles victory 6-3.
The duo of Kelly Keller and Jackie Carr saw their match vs. Elizabet Danailova and Nina Sorkin go unfinished as they trailed 5-3.
Singles
In singles, No. 114 Carr opened the scoring 6-0, 6-2 as she defeated Danailova in the No. 2 slot, putting the Razorbacks up 2-0.
Keller appeared at the No. 4 position for the first time this dual season. The Laguna Beach, Calif. native, fought hard but fell 0-6, 3-6, while Virginia Tech’s Sorkin defeated Alter on court three 6-7, 4-6, to equalize at 2-2.
Rijkers came through for Arkansas with a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(5) win against Erika Cheng on court five to swing the momentum back in the Razorbacks’ favor.
Tatum Rice forced a third set and pushed Nina Kozar to the limit but ultimately fell 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 in the No. 1 position. Thea Rice then dropped a hard-fought 3-6, 6-3, 4-6 decision as Chhinda Som clinched it for Virginia Tech.
Next matches
The Razorbacks will be back on the Hill for a doubleheader Feb. 15 to take on Missouri State at 10 a.m. and UAPB at 4 p.m.
Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.
McCorkle gets career best in New Mexico; Morris breaks mark in Millrose Games
Bailey McCorkle set a career best of 14-2¾ (4.34) to finish as the top collegian in a field of 17 vaulters Saturday at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic in the pole vault.
That wasn’t the only big news for the Razorback women’s track team.
In New York City, Arkansas alum Sandi Morris attempted a world record in the pole vault after claiming the Millrose Games title with a meet record clearance of 16-1 ¼ (4.91).
After clearing 14-0 for the initial time last weekend in the Razorback Invitational, McCorkle surpassed that performance twice in placing second overall to professional vaulter Anicka Newell, who won with the same height as McCorkle.
McCorkle added a personal best of 14-0 ¾ (4.29) in her series and then moved to No. 8 on the Razorback all-time indoor list with her clearance of 14-2 ¾ on a first attempt.
Lauren Martinez, competing in her hometown where she was a four-time New Mexico state champion, tied for fourth at 13-11 (4.24) while Kaitlyn Banas set a career best of 13-7 (4.14) in placing ninth.
“What a weekend our vaulters had in New Mexico,” said women’s coach Lance Harter. “McCorkle, who is from Greenwood, continues to impress while Martinez is getting more consistent and jumping at her PR almost every weekend. Then Banas had another PR and seems to be setting them week after week.”
In New York, Morris had the bar raised to a world record height of 16-6 ½ (5.04) after she established the meet record and the world-leading mark for the 2020 indoor season, missing on three attempts.
Another Razorback alum in the competition, Lexi Jacobus, finished fourth at 14-1¼ (4.30).
“As far as the University of Arkansas, we were well represented across the board, from the sprints to distances to the vault,” said Harter. “It was fun to see our alumni so well represented. It’s just amazing how popular the Arkansas Razorback name is even in New York City.”
Racing in the 3,000m at the Millrose Games, Taylor Werner produced a career best of 8:51.91 in fourth place behind a trio of professional runners — Allie Ostrander (8:48.94), Julie-Ann Staehli (8:49.01) and Laura Rodriguez (8:49.74) — while NCAA cross country champion Weini Kelati of New Mexico placed seventh in 8:54.66.
Using a redshirt this indoor season, Werner’s time would have bettered the Arkansas school record of 8:52.57 set by Dominique Scott in 2015 and moved her to equal No. 6 on the all-time collegiate list. Werner’s previous best of 8:56.97 was set a year ago this weekend in Seattle.
“Taylor competed really well,” said Harter. “She knocked off some of the top collegiate competitors that she’ll see outdoors. Taylor had a big PR that bettered our school record, and she already has plans to break it during the next indoor season.”
In the 60m hurdles, Payton Chadwick posted a time of 8.00 for third as Janeek Brown finished sixth in 8.10. Keni Harrison won the event in 7.90 over a 7.96 for Nia Ali.
Nikki Hiltz clocked a personal best of 4:24.45 for fifth place in the Wanamaker mile as the top four finishers each set a national record.
Taylor Ewert, a future Razorback, claimed the women’s mile racewalk in 6:02.81 and then returned for the girl’s mile race, where she placed sixth with an indoor best of 4:50.07.
Missing Joe, Hogs’ shooting woes continue in another overtime loss
Without Isaiah Joe, Arkansas struggled shooting and Mason Jones wasn’t able to pick up the slack as Missouri stopped the SEC’s leading scorer and came away with an 83-79 overtime win Saturday.
Joe, who stretched defenses and opened things for Jones, is out rehabbing from knee surgery earlier this week and the Tigers shut Jones down.
After three straight games scoring over 40 points, Jones was shut down by Missouri, getting just 17 points and fouling out in overtime. The Hogs struggled behind the 3-point line, shooting just 3-of-14.
Reggie Chaney did step up, though, and had 17 points, scoring 11 in the second half. Jimmy Whitt, Jr., scoreless Tuesday night against Auburn, had 15 playing in his home town in Columbia, Mo., Desi Sills scored 12 and Adrio Bailey 10.
The two teams shot a combined 83 free throws in the game and several of the 11 misses the Hogs had were at crucial times.
Arkansas was 28-of-39 from the line while the Tigers were 34-of-44.
How to listen to Hogs’ game Saturday afternoon against Missouri
• Who: Arkansas Razorbacks (16-6. 4-5 SEC) at Missouri (10-12, 2-7 SEC)
• What: Razorbacks set to play first of back-to-back road games
• When: Saturday, Feb. 8, 2:30 p.m.
• Where: Columbia, Mo. – Mizzou Arena
• TV: SEC Network (Richard Cross and Barry Booker) CLICK HERE to watch online
• Radio: ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
• Listen online at HitThatLine.com CLICK HERE
Against Missouri
• This will be the 52nd meeting between Arkansas and Missouri. The Razorbacks own a 27-24 advantage in the series, including an 8-6 cushion in games since Missouri joined the SEC in 2012-13.
• Arkansas has won seven of the last 10 in the series, although the teams each won three of the last six on their home court.
Last year at Arkansas:
• Isaiah Joe made seven 3-pointers and scored a game-high 23 points while Daniel Gafford recorded his eighth double-double of the season to lead Arkansas to a 72-60 win over Missouri.
• The Razorbacks, down 17-4 to start the game, trailed at halftime but took an early lead in the second half off a Mason Jones 3-pointer. The Razorbacks would not surrender that lead over the final 17:41 of the game. However, the game remained tight until a 10-0 run by the Hogs inside the final five minutes to put the game away.
• Gafford finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds while Jalen Harris added 10 points and six assists with zero turnovers. Chaney finished with six points, six rebounds and four assists.
Last year at Missouri:
• Missouri locked down Arkansas on the final defensive possession and squeaked by the Razorbacks 79-78.
• The Tigers were up three points with 11 seconds remaining when Arkansas’ Daniel Gafford threw down an alley-oop dunk from Jalen Harris. On the ensuing inbound play, Missouri’s Xavier Pinson committed a push-off foul to give Arkansas the ball back and a chance to win with 10 ticks remaining.
• Missouri’s Jeremiah Tilmon did not allow Harris to get a quality shot off as time expired.
• Tilmon led Missouri with 21 points. Senior Jordan Geist contributed 18. Arkansas was led by Gafford (26 pts), Isaiah Joe (17 pts) and Mason Jones (12 pts).
Jones making case for SEC player of the year
• Jones is the only player in the SEC to lead his team in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.
• Jones is the only player in the SEC to rank among the top 20 in scoring (1st, 20.7 ppg) and rebounding (17th, 6.2 rpg) that also ranks among the SEC top 11 in steals (5th, 1.8) and assists (10th, 3.5).
• Jones is the only player in the SEC to rank among the top 20 in scoring (3rd, 22.0 ppg) and rebounding (17th, 6.3 rpg) that also ranks among the top 10 in steals (4th, 1.9) and assists (5th, 4.4).
• Mason Jones is one of two players in the NCAA to average at least 15.0 ppg – 6.0 rpg – 3.0 assist/gm – 1.5 steal/gm:
1. Jones 20.7 ppg – 6.2 rpg – 3.5 apg – 1.8 spg
2. Desmond Bane (TCU) 16.3 ppg – 6.1 rpg – 3.4 apg – 1.6 spg
• Jones is one of three players in the last 30 years to have multiple 40-point games. Jodie Meeks (UK 3), Jones (ARK 2) and Shaquille O’Neal (LSU 2)
• Mason Jones not only leads the SEC and ranks 15th in the NCAA in scoring, AMONG PLAYERS FROM THE NCAA TOP-6 RPI CONFERENCES, Jones ranks 4th in scoring.
Sills fills void
In the two games Joe has missed, Desi Sills has taken ownership of the “Next Man Up” mantra:
• 20 gms w/ Isaiah — Sills: 9.1 ppg – 66-166 FG (.398) – 17-82 3P TFG (.207) – 30.2 min/gm – 1.1 steals/gm
• 2 gms w/o Isaiah — Sills: 16.0 ppg – 11-18 FG (.611) – 7-9 3P TFG (.778) – 37.0 min/gm – 3.0 steals/gm
• Sills scored 18 vs TCU on 7-8 FG, 3-3 3PT with 2 steals
• Sills scored 14 vs Auburn on 4-10 FG, 4-6 3PT with career-high four steals
• Despite shooting 26.4% from 3-pt for the season, Sills is shooting a team-best 43.5% from deep over the last 7 gms.
Free Mason; nearing school free throw Top 10
Jones ranks second in the NCAA in free throws made with 137 despite some recent struggles at the line.
• Of Jones’ 30 FT misses this year, 18 have come in the last four games including 6-of-13 vs TCU and 10-of-15 vs Auburn.
• NCAA scoring leader Markus Howard (Marquette) also leads the NCAA in FT made with 179.
• Jones ranks 4th in the NCAA in free throws ATT with 167.
• Jones only needs to make 16 more free throws to enter the school’s single-season top 10 (Daryl Macon made 154 in 2018). Sidney Moncrief holds the school record with 212 made in a season.
Master of the midrange
• Jimmy Whitt Jr., did not score versus Auburn but still ranks 2nd in the SEC in field goals made (135) while ranking 4th in the SEC in FG% (.513).
• Whitt ranks 10th in the NCAA among guards in FG% (.513).
• (@HogStats) In the 3-point era, Razorback guards have scored 20-plus points in a game without making a 3-pointer nine times. Whitt has accomplished the feat seven times while Corey Beck and Robert Shepherd each did it once.
Chaney’s efficiency
• Reggie Chaney is shooting an incredible 72.9% from the field for the season and 81.8% in league play. While he does not have enough attempts to qualify for the NCAA/SEC leaders, Chaney would rank second the nation behind of Kansas’ Udoka Azubuike’ (76.3% • 119-of-165).
• Chaney has made 24 of his last 31 shots (77.4%) including a streak of 13 consecutive field goals made to start the span.
• Chaney was 0-of-3 in the first half versus TCU, but was 3-of-3 in the second half, scoring six straight points for the Hogs to push a 3-point lead into a 9-point lead. He was an SEC career-best 4-of-5 at the free throw line at Alabama.
Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.
Razorbacks set bar high in home win over Georgia on Friday night
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas defeated Georgia in Barnhill Arena on Friday evening with a season-high 196.950–196.750 win.
The Gymbacks scored season-highs on both the bars (49.425) and the beam (49.275) en route to the big SEC victory.
Sophomore Kennedy Hambrick’s fire continues to burn as she took home the bars, beam and all-around title.
Hambrick set career highs to earn those titles, scoring a 9.950 on bars, a 9.925 on the beam and a 39.600 all-around. Her 9.925 on the floor ties her career-high, earning the top score for the third straight meet.
Rotation One | Vault
Arkansas was off to a steady start as all Gymbacks hit their marks, two of which scored a 9.800 or higher including Hambrick and sophomore Amanda Elswick who returned to action for the first time tonight.
Elswick wasted no time wowing the judges, taking home the vault title in her first appearance of 2020 with a score of 9.875.
Rotation Two | Bars
All six routines scored 9.800 or higher on the bars tonight, starting with senior Jessica Yamzon who led off with a solid 9.825.
Yamzon finished the night with an all-around score of 39.075. Four straight 9.8s for Arkansas led to Hambrick, whose flawless handstands and full-twisting double-back earned her a 10.00 from one judge.
With the fifth best bars score in Arkansas history (49.275), the Gymbacks had taken the lead after the second rotation, 98.275 – 98.800.
Rotation Three | Beam
Four competitors, two from each squad, shared the beam title tonight. Gymbacks’ Hambrick and Carter scored a 9.925 each, sticking both their dismounts, Hambrick’s cartwheel gainer full and Carter’s side aerial-full.
The beam title is the first for Hambrick this season, third of her career and veteran Carter earned her ninth career beam title with the stellar performance.
Georgia outscored Arkansas on the event 49.400-49.275, but the Razorbacks held onto their lead through three rotations, 147.550 – 147.350.
Rotation Four | Floor
The Gymbacks looked to the fourth rotation to solidify the win and did just that.
Scoring 49+ for the 17th consecutive meet, Arkansas was led by Hambrick again, joined by redshirt-freshman Bailey Lovett. The duo each scored a 9.925 on the floor, giving the Gymbacks the punch they needed to beat Georgia.
Lovett’s sky-high double-layout earned her the 9.9+ score for the third straight meet.
Friday’s 196.950 is not just the highest of the season for Arkansas but the 13th highest in program history and just the fourth time since the start of Arkansas gymnastics that the Gymbacks had a combined score of 148 or higher on the bars, beam and floor.
It also marks the second time in Arkansas history that the Razorbacks scored a 49.400 or higher on the floor three time times in the same season… and there’s still six meets left.
Arkansas gets close, but falls to Oklahoma in road match Friday
NORMAN, Okla. — Arkansas fell on Friday night to the Oklahoma, 4-3. Alex Reco and Nico Rousset earned wins against ranked Sooners and Enrique Paya picked up a win at No. 6 singles, but the team lost, 4-3.
The pairing of Maxim Verboven and Paya won their first doubles match of the season at the No. 1 spot, 6-4, but the Hogs eventually dropped on courts two and three.
After the Razorbacks fell in doubles action, Reco quickly earned a win at the two-spot, 6-4, 6-4, over No. 71 Mason Beiler.
The junior remains undefeated this year after picking up his sixth win of the spring.
Rousset dropped the second set against No. 92 Justin Schlageter, 1-6, and found himself trailing again in the third and final set.
However, the new Razorback fought back and won a long third stanza, 7-5, to earn his fourth win at No. 4 singles.
Paya closed out the night with a three-set win on court six against Max Stewart. Paya is now 3-1 at the No. 6 spot this season with his 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory on Friday.
Arkansas will be back at the Dills Indoor Tennis Center in Fayetteville to face the Memphis Tigers on Sat., Feb. 15. First serve is set for 1:00 p.m.
Doubles
• No. 1 | Verboven/Paya (Ark) def. Van Emburgh/Mandlik (OU), 6-4
• No. 2 | Stewart/Martinez (OU) def. Rousset/Reco (Ark), 7-6 (7-4)
• No. 3 | Beiler/Schlageter (OU) def. Dominguez Alonso/Manuel (Ark), 6-3
Singles
• No. 1 | Jake Van Emburgh (OU) def. Maxim Verboven (Ark), 7-6, 7-5
• No. 2 | Alex Reco (Ark) def. No. 71 Mason Beiler (OU), 6-4, 6-4
• No. 3 | Mark Mandlik (OU) def. Josh Howard-Tripp (Ark), 6-4, 6-3
• No. 4 | Nico Rousset (Ark) def. No. 92 Justin Schlageter (OU), 6-2, 1-6, 7-5
• No. 5 | Alex Martinez (OU) def. Melvin Manuel (Ark), 7-6, 7-5
• No. 6 | Enrique Paya (Ark) def. Max Stewart (OU), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.
