Hogs dominated by LSU in league opener with Spencer scoring 17

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — No. 24-22 Arkansas  (13-3) was unable to overcome a tough shooting night, falling to No. 9 (13-0) in the SEC opener, 69-45.

The Razorbacks shot 27.9 percent from the field, while holding LSU to 34 percent, but the difference in the game was the rebounding, was the Tigers’ domination, 62-30.

Samara Spencer led the game with 17 points.

Samara Spencer (Andy Hodges / HitThatLine.com)

The Hogs took an early lead, 5-4, after a Makayla Daniels triple, but then hit only one of its next seven field goals. The LSU scoreless, though,  leading  7-6 at the media timeout.

LSU retook the lead off a third-chance layup and the Hogs hit a scoring drought for over five minutes. LSU scored eight unanswered points, but Daniels helped the Razorbacks get out of it following a fastbreak layup off a steal.

The Hogs came up with a stop on the other end and LSU had a 14-9 advantage after one quarter.

The Tigers opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer, which sparked a 7-0 run, as the Tigers led 21-9 with 8:28 left in the second quarter.

Erynn Barnum (Andy Hodges / HitThatLine.com)

Erynn Barnum got the Razorbacks on the board two minutes into the quarter with a layup. After Arkansas’ first offensive rebound of the night, Spencer capitalized with a 3-pointer and followed with a layup to cut the Tigers’ lead to seven.

After two LSU triples, the Tigers had the 14-point edge, 32-18, with less than three minutes left in the half. After a few free throws and a Maryam Dauda triple, Arkansas cut the lead under 10, 34-25, with under a minute to go in the half.

The Tigers made their next to baskets to take a 38-25 lead into halftime.

Spencer opened the second half with two triples to cut the lead down to nine.

LSU extended their lead to 14 four minutes into the quarter, but a Daniels 3-pointer followed by a Barnum layup cut the deficit back to 10 with five minutes and some change to work with in the third quarter.

The Hogs hit another drought, allowing LSU to go on a 6-0 run with under three minutes to pay in the quarter. LSU closed out the quarter on a 5-2 run to take the 55-38 advantage going into the final 10 minutes of action.

LSU outscored Arkansas 14-7 in the fourth quarter, with Chrissy Carr tallying six of the Razorbacks’ seven in that quarter, all off layups. Arkansas went on to lose its third straight game, 69-45.

Game Highlights

• Spencer led the way with 17 points off 7-of-12 shooting

• On her birthday, Daniels delivered 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals

• Barnum tallied seven points and four rebounds

• Jersey Wolfenbarger registered six rebounds off the bench

• Arkansas held LSU, the best scoring offense in the country, to 69 points, which is the second lowest amount they have been able to score all year

Next Game

Arkansas will hit the road for their first SEC road contest, as well as first game of 2023 on Sunday, Jan. 1 against Kentucky. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. with the game streamed on SEC Network+.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.

Halftime Pod Presented By Eastside Liquor- December 29, 2022

A wild night in Memphis! Hogs drop SEC hoops opener in BR; WBB battles LSU tonight

Guests- Bob Holt & Alyssa Orange

Democrat-Gazette’s Tom Murphy looking back at Liberty Bowl win

Despite blowing big lead, questionable calls, new players Hogs still manage to pull out a win over Kansas.

RECRUITING THURSDAY: Democrat-Gazette’s Richard Davenport on portal

Look for Razorback coaches to be watching any transfers, plus who they might still be looking for in high school.

Recapping an AutoZone Liberty Bowl win with Clay Henry

It took the Razorbacks three overtimes, but finally managed to pull out a win over Kansas on Wednesday night.

HALFTIME IS LIVE. Hogs win Liberty Bowl, BBK falls to LSU

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11:15 – Bob Holt

12:15 – Alyssa Orange

A wild night in Memphis! Hogs drop SEC hoops opener in BR; WBB battles LSU tonight Call or text, 877-377-6963

Bud Light Next Morning Rush Podcast: Hogs win a thriller in Memphis

Tye and Tommy on the win over Kansas, basketball loss to LSU, plus RD, Clay and Tom!

 

Razorbacks come up short in SEC opener against LSU

BATON ROUGE, La. — Trae Hannibal scored a game-high 19 points, including two driving baskets inside the final 1:12, to lead LSU (12-1; 1-0 SEC) to a 60-57 victory over No. 9-7 Arkansas (11-2, 0-1 SEC) Wednesday night in the teams’ SEC opener.

The game featured 10 ties and seven lead changes with no team leading by more than six points throughout the game.

Down three, Davonte Davis hit a 3-pointer to tie the game, 47-47, with 5:10 left.

Arkansas also tied the game at 49 on an Anthony Black putback with 4:27 left before the Razorbacks took a 2-point lead, 51-49, on a pair of Makhi Mitchell free throws.

The lead bounced back and forth over the next 30 seconds. Then, with 2:28 left, Derek Fountain converted an old-fashion 3-point play to put the Tigers up two. Arkansas cut the deficit to one before Hannibal made the first of his late-game layups. The Razorbacks would get back to within one before Hannibal’s second layup.

Arkansas once again answered on a second Black putback to make it a one-point deficit for the Razorbacks with 21 seconds left.

On the ensuing possession, Mitchell blocked a shot that led to a fastbreak opportunity, but the Razorbacks could not take advantage.

Arkansas was forced to foul, and Adam Miller made two free throws with 1.8 seconds left to put the Tigers up three. A final half-court attempt bounced off the rim to preserve the LSU win.

Fountain finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Davis led the Hogs with 16 points while Ricky Council IV and Jordan Walsh each scored 13. Mitchell had a game-high 12 rebounds and Walsh added nine. Black had seven points, eight rebounds and four assists with just two turnovers in 40 minutes.

Arkansas returns to Bud Walton Arena to host Missouri on Wednesday (Jan. 4). Tipoff is set for 7:30 pm and the game will be televised on the SEC Network.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.

Hogs find way to win in three overtimes over Kansas

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It’s probably fair to say Arkansas found a way to win a game they tried pretty hard to lose.

Oh, there will be some complaining about the officiating, but Wednesday night’s 55-53 win over Kansas in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl is still huge.

“I’m proud of our football team,” Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman said later. “Very proud. We had a lot of challenges going into the game.”

That was because the Hogs were playing with only 48 scholarship players.

This win gives Pittman two out of three winning seasons, finishing at 7-6 on the year.


We are under way at the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis and Arkansas will have the ball first.

We’ll have a running commentary throughout the game.

First Quarter

1Q 11:12: Razorbacks take the opening kickoff and drive 56 yards in 10 plays with KJ Jefferson passing and running to set up Cam Little’s 37-yard field goal for an early lead. Hogs 3, Kansas 0

1Q 8:23: Kansas’ offense turns Hogs’ defense in circles on first drive with wide open receivers for Jalon Daniels as the secondary is not reading anything correctly. Daniels passes to a wide open Ky Thomas, who runs 13 yards into the end zone to complete a 26-yard scoring pass that was the second way-too-easy completion on an opening drive. Kansas 7, Hogs 3

1Q 6:05: This time it’s the Jayhawks’ secondary that doesn’t see Matt Landers running wide open down the left sideline, but Jefferson sees him and delivers a 59-yard scoring strike. Are we looking at a track meet? Especially as Kansas fumbles away the ensuing kickoff and Harper Cole recovering for the Hogs. Hogs 10, Kansas 7

1Q 5:57: After recovering the fumble, Jefferson finds Ty Washington wide open in the middle for a 17-yard scoring play. Remember the question about track meet? Hogs 17, Kansas 7

1Q :23: Razorbacks put an exclamation point on first quarter with Jefferson getting the last three yards of a 73-yard drive for a whopping lead coming to the end of the period. Hogs 24, Kansas 7

Second Quarter

2Q 5:02: This is getting downright boring. The Jayhawks really can’t stop the Hogs’ offense and it’s almost like they are toying with Kansas. AJ Green gets a 20-yard scoring romp down the right sidelines due in part to Kansas’ apparent lack of interest in doing anything about it. This is turning out to be a pleasantly surprising blowout. Hogs 31, Kansas 7

2Q 1:18: Kansas finally comes up with an answer as Daniels completes a 24-yard scoring pass. The Jayhawks did one of those things that backfire often by chasing points in the second quarter and blow a 2-point conversion pass, killing momentum some. They will get the ball first in the second half, though. Hogs 31, Kansas 13

It looked like the Hogs were going to score again before halftime before KJ Jefferson threw an interception in the end zone, but still have dominating 31-13 lead at the break with Kansas getting the ball first in the second half.

Third Quarter

3Q 8:43: Hogs wearing down Kansas and have probably put this one away with a 10-play, 80-yard drive and Rashod Dubinion getting the last two yards up the middle. This one may be out of reach. Hogs 38, Kansas 13

3Q 3:15: Jayhawks show some life and get a score before the fourth quarter on a two-yard run by Ky Thomas to cap a five-play, 86-yard scoring drive. Hogs 38, Kansas 20

Fourth Quarter

4Q 14:07: Kansas inches a little closer to the Hogs, who went three-and-out after a score. The Jayhawks and get a 36-yard field goal from Owen Piepergedes and has the momentum. Hogs 38, Kansas 23

4Q 1:05: Jayhawks getting closer and will have a shot to tie the game. Daniels completes a 10-yard scoring pass right down the middle and add the extra point. Then they recover an onsides kick. Hogs 38, Kansas 30

4Q :41: Jayhawks tie the game unbelievably after recovering the kick, then moving downfield 50 yards in 24 seconds to score on a 21-yard pass, then a 2-point conversion pass to Lawrence Arnold but Jefferson will have some time and three timeouts. Hogs 38, Kansas 38

Razorbacks end regulation with running back AJ Green running out of bounds instead of at least attempting to cut back into middle as clock runs out. We go to overtime.

Unbelievable.

First Overtime

1st Possession: Kansas scores on a fourth-down pass from Daniels to Casey, who was all alone in the end zone and added the extra point, Now it’s the Hogs’ turn. Kansas 45, Hogs 38

2nd Possession: It takes the Hogs two plays with a pass to Matt Landers, then a run by Rashod Dubinion scores and they choose to tie the game and do it all again. Hogs 45, Kansas 45

Second Overtime

1st Possession: Hogs need just two plays and Jefferson scores on a 20-yard run. Jefferson then has to double-clutch the throw for two points, but finds Jaedon Wilson coming across the back. Hogs 53, Kansas 45

2nd Possession: Kansas converts the 2-point conversion and targeting on Quincy McAdoo gives the Jayhawks a second chance on the conversion attempt (after an extensive video review) and one of the playmakers is ejected as a result. On the second attempt from the 1, Daniels completes a pass to Casey who gets it into the end zone. We go to a third. Hogs 53, Kansas 53

Third Overtime (2-point Attempts Only)

1st: Jefferson flicks a little pass to Dubinion. Hogs 55, Kansas 53

2nd: For some unexplained reason, the Jayhawks have a wide receiver try a pass that is seriously overthrown. Hogs 55, Kansas 53

Hogs’ analyst Matt Zimmerman in Baton Rouge for SEC opener tonight

Players having fun on road trips ahead of starting league play tonight against LSU and crowd won’t be huge.