Razorbacks start slow, finish strong to down Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Arkansas (14-5, 2-2 SEC) overcame a slow start to defeat Alabama (15-4, 2-2 SEC), 77-59. Down 12-2 in the beginning of the game, Arkansas turned the tide, outscoring Alabama 47-27 in the second half. The Hogs earned its 10th straight win in Tuscaloosa, as Maryam Dauda broke the single-game school record with 10 blocks and the Hogs outrebounded Alabama, 52-35. Samara Spencer led the way with her first double-double of the season with a season-high 31 points and a career-high 14 rebounds.

Carly Keats helped the Hogs get on the board with a jumper, and then Arkansas came up empty on its next seven shot attempts. During that time, Alabama went on an 11-0 run, while the Hogs were held in a scoring drought for over three minutes. Arkansas called a timeout, down 12-2 with 6:33 left in the first quarter. Karley Johnson dug the Hogs out of the scoreless drought by knocking down one of two free throws, and then forced a travel on the other end of the floor.

Dauda then guided Arkansas out of its drought from the field with a second-chance layup and Spencer delivered an and-1 for the 3-point play. The Hogs trailed 24-12 with less than two minutes left in the quarter, but Arkansas finished the frame on a 6-0 run thanks to layups from Saylor Poffenbarger and Spencer, as well as a jumper from Poffenbarger at the buzzer. Alabama led, 24-20, after one quarter.

Dauda made one of two freebies to start the second half, but then the Hogs fell in a scoring drought for over four minutes. The Tide were in a drought of their own until getting going on a 5-0 scoring run. Keats had an answer with a jumper for Arkansas’ first field goal of the second half. At the media timeout taken at the 4:49 mark, Arkansas trailed, 29-23.

Out of the timeout, Spencer drove to the rack for a second-chance layup and then followed that up with another one to help the Hogs on a 6-0 run to creep within two. Alabama was held in a scoring drought for over four minutes until knocking down a triple, but Jenna Lawrence had an answer with a layup. The Hogs held the Tide to eight points in the second quarter, as Arkansas trailed by two, 32-30, at the half.

Makayla Daniels tied the game with a driving layup, and after Dauda’s fourth block of the day, Daniels charged all the way down the court for an and-1 to help the Hogs take the lead for the first time since the opening minutes of the game. Poffenbarger then logged a layup off a miss, and with the Hogs on a 7-0 run, Alabama took a timeout with 8:24 left in the third quarter and the Hogs up, 37-32. The run for the Hogs continued, as Spencer knocked down a triple and followed that up with a layup, while the Hogs were on a 12-0 run. Alabama scored its first basket of the second half three minutes into the quarter.

Daniels then drilled down a triple, but Alabama responded with a 3-point play. In the next sequence, Spencer came up with a layup, while Alabama answered with another layup. Alabama then knocked down a triple, as Arkansas was held in a scoring drought for nearly three minutes. With 2:50 left in the third quarter, Arkansas led, 47-42. With Alabama on a 7-0 run, Karley Johnson had a response with a layup, which started a 6-0 run, but Alabama answered with a triple. Dauda was then fouled with two seconds left in the quarter, and made the backend of the two freebies. Arkansas went into the fourth quarter up, 54-47.

Alabama came up with a jumper in their opening possession of the fourth quarter and off a steal, the Tide knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to two. That was the closest Alabama would come to the Hogs for the remainder of the game. Daniels and Spencer then delivered back-to-back layups and Alabama called a timeout with 8:12 left in the game and the Hogs ahead, 58-52.

Out of the break, Daniels knocked down a triple, which continued the Hogs on a 13-0 run, as Poffenbarger made a triple and Keats came up with an and-1. Arkansas led, 67-52, with less than five minutes to play in the game. Spencer then delivered two free throws to extend the run to a 15-0 run, but Alabama got out of the drought with a jumper. The Hogs outscored the Tide, 6-3, in the remaining three minutes of the game, as the Hogs got back in the winning column with a 77-59 victory at Alabama.

Hogs Game Highlights

• Spencer registered her second career 30-point game, logging a season-high 31 points. She added 14 rebounds, her first 10+ rebounding game of her career for her first double-double of the season, while also logging three assists

• Dauda followed up a great performance against Mississippi State with her best showing in her collegiate career, finishing with a near triple-double with eight points, 12 rebounds and 10 blocks. She also added five assists, two steals and did not commit a foul. Dauda is the first Hog in school history with a double-double in rebounds and blocks

• The 10 blocks by Dauda broke a school record that was previously held by Robyn Irwin, who swatted nine shots vs. SMSU on Dec. 19, 1988. Dauda is now the only Hog with 10+ blocks in a game

• Daniels registered 16 points, all in the second half, with three rebounds in nearly 26 minutes played

• Poffenbarger recorded nine points and 14 rebounds, finishing just one board shy of a double-double and 500 in her career

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• Johnson played the most valuable minutes in her career, tallying 20.5 minutes and logging three points and two offensive rebounds

• Keats had seven points, playing 34.5 minutes on the floor

• Arkansas outrebounded Alabama, 52-35, while also pulling down 21 offensive rebounds

• The Hogs dominated in the paint with 40 points compared to Alabama’s 24, while logging 22 points off turnovers vs. Alabama’s nine

• This marked the 10th straight win in Tuscaloosa, which improved the Hogs record vs. Alabama to 27-16 in the all-time series

Next Game

Arkansas will have a bye on Thursday before hitting the road to Baton Rouge, La., to face the reigning NCAA National Champion LSU Tigers on Sunday, Jan. 21. The game is currently scheduled to tipoff at 4 p.m. on ESPN.