Razorbacks rally to down Tulsa, keep unbeaten streak going

TULSA, Okla. — Behind some late shutdown defense, Arkansas remained undefeated with a 57-50 win over Tulsa on Wednesday night in the Reynolds Center.

With the win, Arkansas improves to 7-0, its best start under Jimmy Dykes.

Defensively, the Razorbacks held Tulsa to 29.7 percent shooting and 2-of-14 shooting from 3-point range.

They also held the Golden Hurricane without a field goal for seven-plus minutes late in the fourth quarter, as they finished the game on a 17-2 run, including 17 unanswered.

Jessica Jackson led all scorers with a season-high 22 points and also pulled down a season-high nine rebounds. She was 9-of-17 from the field and also knocked down two 3-pointers. Bailey Zimmerman added 11 points, and Jailyn Mason finished with eight points.

Key Run
Tulsa opened the second quarter on a 9-1 run and held Arkansas without a made field goal until 58 seconds left in the quarter. Arkansas committed seven turnovers and was 0-of-10 from the field and 0-of-3 from 3-point range during the 9:02 stretch. After being held without a field goal for the first nine-plus minutes of the second quarter, Arkansas made two field goals in the final minute to tie the game at 26-26 heading into halftime.

Key Run II
Trailing 48-40, Arkansas came up with 11 straight defensive stops, as the Razorbacks scored 17 consecutive points on the offensive end to take a 57-48 lead. Arkansas went ahead 49-48 on a lay-up by Jailyn Mason with 2:42 left. Leading 51-48 in the final minute of the game, Arkansas forced a shot-clock violation after a jump ball left four seconds on the shot clock.

Key Stat – 50
Arkansas held Tulsa to season lows in both field-goal percentage (29.7 percent) and 3-point field-goal percentage (14.3), as the Razorbacks limited the Golden Hurricane to a season-low 50 points. That included just 11 points in the fourth quarter, when Arkansas outscored Tulsa 23-11 to erase a 39-34 deficit.

Notable
• Arkansas has won six of its last seven meetings against Tulsa and also avenged last year’s 74-67 defeat in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks improve to 20-3 all-time against Tulsa, including 11-1 in games played in Tulsa.
• Tulsa marked the first true road game of the season for Arkansas. With the win, the Razorbacks improve to 8-17 in road games, including 5-4 in nonconference road games, under head coach Jimmy Dykes.
• Arkansas completed a 2-0 sweep of AAC opponents on its schedule, having already defeated Memphis, 91-61.
• Arkansas has used the same starting five for each of the first seven games: Malica Monk, Jailyn Mason, Jessica Jackson, Bailey Zimmerman and Alecia Cooley.
• Jessica Jackson has scored in double figures in each of the first seven games this season. She is averaging a team-best 15.8 points per game.
• Jessica Jackson led all scorers with a season-high 22 points. It was her second 20-point game of the season and her 22nd career 20-point game.
• Jessica Jackson scored 10 of her 22 points in the first quarter. She scored 10 first-quarter points for the second time this season (Stetson) and the third time in her career.
• Arkansas has won the rebounding battle in six of the first seven games this season, improving to 29-7 when outrebounding its opponents under head coach Jimmy Dykes.
• Arkansas is off to a 7-0 start for the first time under head coach Jimmy Dykes and the first time overall since the 2013-14 season, when the Razorbacks won each of their first 13 games.

Quotable – From Jimmy Dykes
“This was a huge win on the road for us. We’re 7-0 and we continue to find a way to win games. We didn’t play great, but I think we beat a good team on the road. Our defense in that fourth quarter was the difference.”

Quotable II – From Jimmy Dykes
“We’re sitting over there in the fourth quarter on the road and we’re down eight. We kept talking to our kids about hanging in there and to keep grinding, get stops and get boards, get stops and get boards. I don’t think we ever talked about our offense in the fourth quarter. It was all about defense and rebounds.”

Up Next
Arkansas returns home for an SEC/Big 12 Challenge matchup with Texas Tech on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. from Bud Walton Arena, and the game will be televised on the SEC Network. Arkansas also plays host to Butler on Wednesday, Dec. 7, before returning to the road for a game at Missouri State on Sunday, Dec. 11.