Hogs blow out Georgia behind Makayla Daniels

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas (13-4, 1-1 SEC) pushed Thursday’s loss to the side, as the Hogs cruised past Georgia (10-5, 1-1 SEC) in wire-to-wire fashion, 83-43. The 40-point victory in the Razorbacks’ first SEC win of the season marked the third largest margin in an SEC game in school history, while also tying a season best margin of victory.

The 83 points the Hogs put up marked the most points the Bulldogs have given up in a game this season. Four Hogs finished in double figures in scoring, led by Makayla Daniels’ season-high 24 points. The Hogs were also hot from beyond the arc, matching a season-high 14 triples, while holding Georgia to 27 percent shooting from the field.

Arkansas went 0-for-2 to start the game, but Carly Keats found an open Makayla Daniels, who drained the Hogs’ first of 14 3-pointers of the game. Daniels then came up with an and-1 to help the Hogs go up, 5-0, to start the game. Daniels then splashed in her second triple of the game, but Georgia had a response with a contested jumper.

Maryam Dauda got her first score of the game with a layup off a miss and Keats came up with a rim runner. At the media timeout taken at the 4:26 mark, Arkansas led, 13-6. Out of the break, Dauda was 4-of-4 from the free throw line, which started an 8-0 run. A Keats jumper pulled the Hogs ahead by 10, 19-6, as Georgia took a timeout with three minutes left to play in the frame. Georgia responded out of the break with a 3-pointer, but Daniels had an answer with her third triple of the game. The Hogs led, 24-9, at the end of the first quarter, ending that first frame shooting 7-of-7 from the free throw line and committing zero turnovers.

The Hogs kept being aggressive to the basket and opened the quarter knocking down 5-of-6 free throws to extend their lead to 20, despite shooting 0-of-7 from the field to begin the quarter. The Bulldogs were held empty from the field for the first four minutes and some change of the quarter until Georgia knocked down a few jumpers, but Keats responded each time with a pair of triples, as Georgia took a timeout with Hogs ahead, 35-13, with 5:08 left in the frame.

The Bulldogs came up with a basket, but Daniels answered with a hard-fought layup and then knocked down two freebies. With 3:43 left in the quarter, Arkansas led, 39-15. Arkansas played nearly 17 minutes before committing its first turnover.

Carly Keats (Andy Hodges / HitThatLine.com)

Georgia knocked down its second triple, but Samara Spencer delivered a basket and got fouled in the process for a 3-point play to start an 8-0 run, which was also highlighted by a Saylor Poffenbarger triple. Another Spencer layup put the Hogs ahead by 31, and the Hogs went into the locker room with the 49-18 advantage.

Georgia opened the quarter by knocking down a 3-pointer after the Hogs came up empty on its first two possessions.

Poffenbarger then knocked down a 3-pointer on the Hogs third possession to pull the Hogs back ahead by 31. Georgia then got two baskets, but Poffenbarger had another response with her third 3-pointer of the game. Arkansas was held in a scoring drought for over two minutes and then Poffenbarger and Daniels knocked down back-to-back triples, as Arkansas led, 61-25 with 4:25 left in the quarter.

Out of the timeout Georgia called, Spencer knocked down the Hogs’ 11th triple of the game to extend the Hogs’ run to a 12-0 one, but the Bulldogs had an answer with a jumper. With 3:19 left in the quarter, Arkansas led, 64-27. The Hogs were held in scoring drought for over two minutes while committing a pair of turnovers, but Poffenbarger had a layup to pull Arkansas out of the drought. At the end of the third quarter, Arkansas led, 66-29.

Keats opened the second half of scoring for Arkansas with a layup. Georgia responded with three straight points, but Spencer and Daniels both knocked down triples in response. With 7:16 left in the fourth, Arkansas led 74-32, as Georgia called a timeout. With a Keats second-chance layup, Arkansas extended its lead to 44, its largest of the game.

Georgia outscored Arkansas 11-7 in the remaining six minutes of the game with Karley Johnson delivering five of those points for the Hogs. Arkansas defeated the Bulldogs, 83-43.

Hogs Highlights

Arkansas’ 40-point victory marked the school’s third largest margin of victory in an SEC game since the Hogs have been a part of the league (since 1991-92)

The last time a team has beaten Georgia by 30+ points was on March 6, 2020, against South Carolina, when the Bulldogs lost by 33.

Arkansas’ 83 points was the most the Bulldogs have allowed all season

The Hogs matched a season-high 14 3-pointers made, which is the eighth most in a single game in school history.

Daniels paced the Hogs with a season-high 24 points off 7-of-15 shooting with seven rebounds, three assists and a career-high five steals. She had an incredible +42 +/- and moved up to No. 4 on the all-time career steals list with 226.

Keats logged 16 points off 7-of-16 from the field and two assists across all 40 minutes played. She earned her first career start and delivered, as Taliah Scott was out with injury.

Poffenbarger registered her sixth double-double of the season with 15 points off 5-of-12 shooting, 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, with 17 rebounds (four offensive, 13 defensive). She matched a season-high four assists.

Samara Spencer (Andy Hodges / HitThatLine.com)

Spencer registered 15 points and went 5-fo-5 from the free throw line. She added six rebounds, four assists and one steal, while playing 38 minutes.

Dauda logged a near double-double with eight points and matching a career-high 11 rebounds. She went 4-of-4 from the line and her six offensive rebounds also matched a career best. She also logged a career-high four steals with two blocks

Johnson registered a career-high five points with one board

Emrie Ellis was available for the first time in six games (since Louisiana Tech on Dec. 7), logging five minutes

Hogs’ Next Game

Arkansas will host Mississippi State on Thursday at 8 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network at Bud Walton Arena.