Cosper, Monk have career nights in loss to Vols
FAYETTEVILLE — Devin Cosper and Malica Monk had career nights and Arkansas overcame a double-digit deficit but couldn’t hold off No. 11 Tennessee, falling 90-85, in Southeastern Conference action in Bud Walton Arena on Thursday night.
The game was close for much of the night until the Lady Vols (20-4, 8-3 SEC) stretched their lead to 10 points heading into the fourth quarter.
Arkansas outscored Tennessee 28-23 in the frame but had to foul late in the game with time running out.
Cosper scored a career-best 29 points going 10-for-14 from the floor including a 6-for-9 performance from 3-point range. Monk finished with a career-high 25 points including a career-best 4-for-4 performance from distance.
Jailyn Mason added 11 points and Kiara Williams scored nine points and had 10 rebounds for Arkansas (12-12, 3-8 SEC).
Tennessee, who ranks second in the nation in free throw shooting, went 15-for-20 from the line to get the win.
Arkansas outscored Tennessee 29-0 in fast break points and forced 19 Lady Vol turnovers, turning that into 24 points.
The Razorbacks outscored a much taller Tennessee, 32-30, in the paint but Arkansas was out-rebounded 45-26 in the game.
Notes
• Devin Cosper scored a career-best 29 points. It is her sixth 20+ point game of the year and the seventh of her career. It is the 17th game of the season in double figures and the 40th double-digit scoring game of her career. She had a career-high for field goals made (14) and tied her career-best for 3-point field goals made (6).
• Malica Monk scored a career-high 25 points. It is the 23rd game this season and the 39th of her career with double figure points. It is the ninth game of the season/her career with 20+ points. She tied her career-best for field goals made (9) and had a career high for 3-point field goals made (4).
• Jailyn Mason scored 11 points. It is her 15th game of the year in double figures and the 25th of her career.
• Kiara Williams grabbed 10 rebounds. It is her seventh season/career game with double figure boards.
• Bailey Zimmerman played a career-high 40 minutes.
Up Next
Arkansas hosts No. 15 Missouri on Sunday, No. 11 at 4 p.m. in Bud Walton Arena.
League coaches pick Hogs as favorite in West
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Arkansas was picked by the head coaches of the SEC to win the West and finish second overall, while four Razorbacks were tabbed as Preseason All-SEC players.
The 14 coaches in the SEC voted in the 27th annual preseason SEC poll and the Razorbacks picked up 12 of the 14 votes to win the division.
Arkansas also received one vote to win the SEC overall and received 90 points for the overall conference finish, just one point behind Florida.
Points were compiled on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for each division. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. Each coach also voted for one team as an overall conference champion.
In addition, Arkansas was one of only two schools (Florida) to have four or more players earn a spot on either Preseason All-SEC team.
Catcher Grant Koch led all Razorbacks as the lone first-team player. He’s coming off a career year where he hit .264 with a career-best 13 home runs and 42 RBIs, the highest home run and RBI total among all SEC catchers.
Shortstop Jax Biggers, outfielder Dominic Fletcher, and right-hander Blaine Knight make up the Arkansas contingent on the second team.
Biggers and Fletcher are both coming off All-SEC seasons of their own, while Knight is expected to be one of the top pitchers in the league in 2018 and was named a preseason All-American earlier this year.
Arkansas is scheduled to open the 2018 season against Bucknell on Friday, Feb. 16 with first pitch at 3 p.m. at Baum Stadium.
Anderson talks about matchup with Vanderbilt
Arkansas coach Mike Anderson talked about the Commodores, who the Razorbacks played three times last season.
KNWA VIDEO: Van Horn after Swatters Club
VIDEO FROM KNWA
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn visited with the media following his address to the first meeting of the Swatter’s Club on Thursday.
Top-ranked Hogs face challenges at home, on road
FAYETTEVILLE — No. 1 in the national polls for the second-consecutive week Arkansas looks to maintain its top-ranked stature, in search of improved performances this weekend in Fayetteville at the Tyson Invitational and on the road in Seattle, Washington at the Husky Classic.
“The majority of the crew will be here this weekend, while with distance it’s almost mandated that you have to go to Washington to get a qualifying time,” head coach Lance Harter said. “It’s nice to be highly thought of [in reference to No. 1 rank]. We have balance across the board and we’re a pretty potent team. Will all those points come at the national meet, well they’re harder to come by at that meet but we’re definitely in the conversation.”
Tyson Teams
Well-known as one of the most competitive indoor meets in the country for the sprints and field events the Tyson Invitational will see the Razorbacks match up against 31 collegiate programs and several of the top professional athletes from around the world. Out of the 32 programs (Arkansas included) competing at the Randal Tyson Track Center this weekend six are nationally ranked among the top-25 best in the country including: No. 1 Arkansas, No. 7 LSU, No. 9 Texas, No. 14 Missouri, No. 16 Baylor and No. 23 Indiana.
Date/Time: Friday, Feb. 9, 4:30 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 10, 1:30 p.m.
Venue: Randal Tyson Track Center
Tickets: $5 for Adults, 17 and under free
Important Links: Meet Schedule | Live Results | SEC+ (Fri.) | SEC+ (Sat.)
Events to Watch Tyson:
Friday
• 5:15 p.m./6:25 p.m. | 60 Meter Hurdles Prelims/Finals
Featured Razorback: Payton Chadwick (PR: 8.09)
• 5:30 p.m. | Long Jump Invitational
Featured Razorback: Taliyah Brooks (PR: 21-3)
• 5:50 p.m./6:35 p.m. | 60 Meters Prelims/Finals
Featured Razorback: Jada Baylark (PR: 7.24)
Saturday
• 3:00 p.m. | 200 Meters Invitational
Featured Razorback: Payton Chadwick (PR: 22.99)
• 3:00 p.m. | Pole Vault Invitational
Featured Razorback: Lexi Jacobus (PR: 4.64m/15-2 3/4)
Husky Classic
Sophomore Taylor Werner headlines a group of six Razorbacks journeying to Seattle this weekend for stiff competition in the distance events at the Husky Classic. Werner heads into the meet looking to improve upon her 3,000-meter performance (9:10.40), which currently ranks her at No. 13 in the NCAA. The meet will feature several nationally ranked powers including: No. 1 Arkansas, No. 3 Oregon, No. 9 Texas, No. 12 Stanford and No. 18 Tennessee.
“We want to give her [Taylor Werner] the opportunity to run with somebody,” Harter said. “So we’re looking forward to Taylor getting a good 3,000 under her belt this weekend.”
Date/Time: Friday, Feb. 9, 6 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 5 p.m.
Venue: Dempsey Indoor Track
Important Links: WatchFloTrack (subscription required) | Heat Sheets
Events to Watch Husky Classic:
Friday
• 7:45 p.m. | 5,000 Meters
Featured Razorback: Sydney Brown (PR: 16:24.81)
Saturday
• 3:15 p.m. | Mile
Featured Razorback: Carina Viljoen (PR: 4:46.01)
• 6:20 p.m. | 3,000 Meters Invitational
Featured Razorback: Taylor Werner (PR: 9:06.34)
Hogs head south for weekend match with ’Horns, Mustangs
FAYETTEVILLE — Victors of three straight matches, including a doubleheader sweep in its last outing, Arkansas hits the road for two matches this weekend in the Lone Star State.
Arkansas begin the weekend with a 1 p.m. serve at SMU on Friday, before traveling further south to Austin, Texas, for another 1 p.m. match with the 16th-ranked Texas Longhorns.
Last season, Arkansas hosted the Mustangs and Longhorns, falling to both at home. SMU held off the Razorbacks 4-3, while the fourth-ranked Longhorns defeated Arkansas 5-2.
On Wednesday, Jose Alonso was tabbed as the SEC Freshman of the Week, after earning a 6-1, 6-3 win at the No. 6 spot to give Arkansas the 3-1 lead over Wichita State. After the Shockers fought back to tie the match 3-3, his older brother, Pedro, would clinch the win for Arkansas with a 6-4 third set win at No. 4.
After opening his freshman campaign with a 1-4 record, J. Alonso has won each of his last two singles matches and picked up another win by forfeit against Saint Louis.
Senior Jose Salazar moved up 54 spots in the ITA/Oracle singles rankings to No. 59 in the country, after winning six of his first seven matches this spring, including each of the last four. Salazar is a perfect 2-0 this season at the top spot against ranked opponents.
Another Top 15 matchup for Hogs at Barnhill on Friday night
FAYETTEVILLE — Tenth-ranked Arkansas returns home for the third time this season for its third-straight top-15 matchup, this time against 15th-ranked Auburn Friday at 7 p.m inside Barnhill Arena.
“The focus is definitely protecting our house,” said assistant coach Garrett Griffeth. “We’re back home in our environment, in front of our fans. I think our biggest thing is to just continue to progress from week to week. We’re excited to be back in front of our home crowd.”
How They Compare (Season Averages)
Vault: Auburn- 49.085, Arkansas- 49.000
Bars: Auburn- 49.035, Arkansas- 48.980
Beam: Arkansas- 49.230, Auburn- 49.070
Floor: Arkansas- 49.100, Auburn- 48.850
Total: Arkansas- 196.310, Auburn- 196.040
The matchup will be Arkansas’ sixth-consecutive conference meet to begin the season, the only team in the conference to compete against only SEC foes in all meets this season. The Razorbacks have scored its highest scores on the road and at home the past two weeks with a 197.175 against Georgia and a 196.350 last week at Alabama.
“That’s what the great teams do,” said Griffeth. “They peak every single week, they are at the top every single week. Our biggest thing is to improve week to week. Focusing on those small improvements, not necessarily comparing yourself to the top, but to where you were last week.”
The Razorbacks recorded its fourth-straight score over 196 at Alabama, posting a 196.350 in Tuscaloosa. Its the fifth time in program history that Arkansas has had four-straight scores over 196, joining such streaks during the 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016 seasons.
Freshman Sarah Shaffer earned the third weekly honor in four weeks for the Razorbacks, as she was named the SEC Freshman of the Week following her 39.350 all-around performance against the Crimson Tide. Shaffer first won the award Jan. 16 following Arkansas’ meet against Kentucky, while fellow freshman Sophia Carter was named Specialist of the Week (Jan. 30) following her record performance against Georgia.
Arkansas remained one of the top beam squads in the country, coming in at No. 5 in the nation on the event with an average of 49.230. The Razorbacks have been ranked in the top 5 on the event since the start of the season. Freshman Sophia Carter continues to lead the team, averaging a 9.880 as Arkansas’ highest individual ranked No. 14 on the event. In total, five Razorbacks are in the top-100 individual rankings, including Shaffer (No. 99), who recorded a 9.900 at Alabama on beam.
Promotions
It’s Daddy-Daughter Princess Date Night and all kids are encouraged to wear their favorite princess costumes to the meet plus the first 150 kids will get a light up princess tiara. Miss University of Arkansas will be signing autographs in the north lobby beginning at 5:30 p.m., and the team will sign autographs immediately following the meet.
