Arkansas Bounces Back, Beats Florida, 84-80

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 17 Arkansas (11-4, 2-3) bounced back in Bud Walton Arena on Thursday night, holding off Florida (7-6, 0-5), 84-80. This win was a team win, as four different Hogs got into double-figures, while Head Coach Mike Neighbors’ Hogs rebounded at the same rate as the Gators, pulling down 34 boards.

Redshirt senior guard Chelsea Dungee took over in this one, lighting up the scoreboard to the tune of 33 points, a new season-high. She did a ton of her damage at the free throw line, hitting all 17 of her free throw attempts, matching her career-high in freebies made (17-19, Auburn, 2/7/19), which is a program record. Redshirt senior Destiny Slocum continued her strong play for the Hogs on Thursday, scoring 17 points and grabbing five rebounds. Amber Ramirez and Makayla Daniels also scored in double-figures, notching 12 and 11 points, respectively.

TURNING POINT

Arkansas held the lead for almost the entire game, maintaining the edge on the scoreboard for 37 minutes of the game’s 40 minutes. While the Gators’ defense stepped up in the second half, the Razorbacks never allowed Florida to take the lead after the game’s opening minutes.

Arkansas exploded for 52 points in the first half, shooting 50 percent from three-point range and knocking down 16 of its 18 free throw attempts. Dungee put up 20 points in the opening two frames, and Slocum added 13 on 6-8 shooting going into the intermission.

The second half was a different story, though, as both teams failed to continue their offensive performances in the final 20 minutes. Both teams were bitten by the turnover bug in the fourth quarter, with the hometown Hogs committing five in the final minutes and the Gators losing seven possessions themselves. Despite a monster game from Lavender Briggs, who dropped 41 points, Arkansas’s steady play at the charity stripe helped put the game on ice, as Dungee went a perfect 4-4 from the line and Taylah Thomas added a free throw late as well.

HOG HIGHLIGHTS

• Dungee scored 30+ for the tenth time in her career, and the second time this season.
• That is the most games ever of 30+ in program history.
• Dungee becomes the first Razorback to hit 17+ free throws in a game twice in a career.
• Senior forward Taylah Thomas led the Hogs on the glass, pulling down eight rebounds.
• Daniels was supremely efficient in the game, hitting all five of her shot attempts. She was also a team-high +13.

NEXT TIME OUT

Arkansas will head east to take on No. 5 South Carolina in Columbia on Monday. The matchup will air on ESPN2 and is set to tipoff at 6 p.m. CT.

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