Monk Hits Buzzer Beater in Bud Walton Monday
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas freshman Malica Monk grabbed a rebound and hit a layup at the buzzer giving the Razorback women’s basketball team a 57-56 win over Vanderbilt in Bud Walton Arena Monday. The win moves Arkansas to 10-14 overall and 5-6 in the SEC and into a tie for eighth place while Vanderbilt falls to 15-8 overall and 4-6 in the league and 11th place in the standings.
Déjà vu.
Arkansas had a big lead last year in Nashville, Tennessee, and went more than 12 minutes going 0-for-18 to lose by a basket in head coach Jimmy Dykes’ first encounter with the Lady Commodores.
This year, Arkansas came out the gates firing, winning the first, second and third periods, leading by as many as 22 in the game. The 22-point lead at the 2:37 mark in the third period is the largest lead in an SEC game for the Razorbacks this season.
But Vanderbilt stormed back using a 27-4 run tying the game at 51-all with 2:57 to play in regulation. It was a nip-and-tuck battle until the final buzzer from that point on. Vanderbilt grabbed a one-point advantage hitting one of two free throws but Arkansas reclaimed the advantage on a layup from junior Alecia Cooley. Cooley finished with four points and two rebounds going 2-for-4 from the floor.
Arkansas stretched the lead to three on a layup from freshman Jordan Danberry with 1:24 to play. Danberry finished with 10 points and two boards in 18 minutes.
Leading 55-52, Arkansas committed a foul sending the Commodores back to the line. They made one of two but another foul on the rebound sent them back to the bonus stripe where they tied the game at 55-all with two makes with under a minute to play.
The Razorbacks missed a jumper and Vanderbilt sprinted the length of the court and got a shot up with about 10 seconds to go. The shot missed but Vandy’s leading scorer, Christa Reed, was fouled and went to the line. She made the first shot and missed the second.
Junior Khadijah West grabbed the defensive rebound and passed out from under the visitor’s basket to Danberry. Danberry sprinted up the middle of the floor and had a good look at a jumper but the shot wouldn’t fall. West rebounded and missed the put back and the ball came off the rim on the right side into the hands of Monk.
She put it back up and in for the buzzer beater in Bud Walton.
Junior Jessica Jackson led all scorers with 18 pints and three three-pointers in the win. She grabbed six rebounds and fouled out of the game with just under a minute to play. Danberry added 10, sophomore Devin Cosper had nine and senior Melissa Wolff lead the team with eight rebounds.
Arkansas returns to action Feb. 14, traveling to No. 21 Missouri in a game that airs on the SEC Network Plus. It is the second meeting between these teams as the Razorbacks upset the Tigers, 64-52 in Bud Walton Arena earlier this year.
NOTES
• Arkansas Starters: Jessica Jackson, Jordan Danberry, Devin Cosper, Alecia Cooley, Melissa Wolff
• Arkansas won the tip and scored first
• Arkansas led 18-10 after the first period
o It is the ninth game in which the Razorbacks led after the first 10 minutes
o It is the second SEC game in which they have lead after the first period
• Arkansas forced a shot clock violation in the second period
• Arkansas is 7-1 when leading at the half and 2-1 in SEC games when leading after 20 minutes
• Jessica Jackson scored 11 first half points
o It is the 12 times this year a player has been in double figures in the first half
o It is the fifth time Jackson has done it
o Arkansas is 3-2 when Jackson scores in double figures in the first half
o Jackson finished with 18 points and fouled out with 55.7 seconds to play in regulation
• Arkansas set a student attendance record with 714 students at the game
o That eclipses the previous mark of 571 students
• The win moves Arkansas to 7-23 all-time against Vanderbilt
o It is the first win over Vanderbilt since 2012
o Arkansas is 6-8 against the Lady Commodores in Fayetteville
• Jordan Danberry scored 10 points
o It is her sixth game in double figures
• Largest lead for Arkansas in an SEC game was 22 against Vanderbilt in the third period
• Arkansas used a 27-7 run to take a 47-25 lead
o Vanderbilt scored just three times on 20 possessions and had eight turnovers during that run
• Vanderbilt went on a 27-4 run to tie the game
For more information on Arkansas women’s basketball, follow @RazorbackWBB on Twitter.
