Arkansas had four players in double figures and three with double-digit rebounds but it wasn’t enough to lift the Razorbacks over Florida in a 71-66 overtime loss Thursday in Bud Walton Arena.
Junior Jessica Jackson paced the Razorbacks (9-12, 4-4 SEC) with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Kelsey Brooks added 14 points while sophomore Devin Cosper tallied 12. Junior Alecia Cooley finished with a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in the Razorbacks’ second consecutive overtime loss of the season.
Fans might have thought they were at the Randal Tyson Track Center Thursday inside of Bud Walton Arena. The fast-paced, turnover-plagued game was nip-and-tuck for 45 minutes.
The first half opened with Florida (17-4, 5-3 SEC) pressing and Arkansas using its speed to break the press. The Gators scored first but Arkansas rallied taking a 26-25 lead into the halftime break.
The Razorbacks extended the lead to 10 points at the 5:28 mark of the third period and seemed to have the game well in hand. Teams left the court for the media timeout at the 4:58 mark and the Gators came out on fire, outscoring Arkansas 10-5 to close the frame tied at 44.
Florida scored their 10 points from five different players as Arkansas struggled with five turnovers and three missed shots as the momentum shifted to the Gator bench.
The fourth frame was an even heat with each team scoring 15 points. Arkansas had a two-point lead, 59-57 after Jackson hit 1-of-2 from the line with four seconds left in regulation. The Gators called timeout and made some offensive subs. They inbounded the ball in front of their bench and hit a jumper in the paint with one second on the clock, tying the contest at 59 and forcing overtime.
The game was tied twice in overtime but Arkansas found itself with the lead, 66-65, with 31 seconds to go after Cosper dropped in a jumper from just outside the paint.
Florida scored on its next possession to retake the lead with the clock winding down. Arkansas was forced to foul and Florida hit its bonus shots to hold on for the win.
Arkansas hosts No. 13 Mississippi State Sunday at 2 p.m. in Bud Walton Arena.
NOTES
• Arkansas Starters: Jessica Jackson, Kelsey Brooks, Devin Cosper, Melissa Wolff, Alecia Cooley
• Kelsey Brooks is the sixth player to score in double figures in the first half of the game
• It is Brooks’ first time to score in double figures – she had 12 at the half
• It is the 11th time this year a Razorback player has been in double digits in a game this year
• Brooks finished with 14, her season best
• Jessica Jackson was also in double figures with 16 points
• It is her 18th double digit game of the year
• It is her 69th double digit game in her career
• Jackson added 10 rebounds for her 14th career double-double
• Devin Cosper scored 12 points in the game
• It is her 11th double digit point game as a Razorback
• Senior Melissa Wolff grabbed 10 rebounds
• It is her seventh double figure rebounding game of the year
• It is the 18th of her career
• Junior Alecia Cooley scored 11 points
• It is her sixth game as a Razorback in double figures
• Cooley also grabbed 10 rebounds for her third double-double
• It is the 13th time Arkansas has been even with or out-rebounded its opponent
• Back-and-forth game featured 10 ties and 16 lead changes
• Arkansas is 9-25 all-time against Florida
• The Razorbacks are 5-10 in Fayetteville vs. the Gators
