Danberry Hits Big Bucket For Razorback Win

BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas freshman Jordan Danberry raced the length of the floor and hit a pull up jumper from 12 feet with seven seconds on the clock giving the Razorback women’s basketball team a 69-67 win over Alabama in Southeastern Conference action in Bud Walton Arena Thursday.

Danberry finished the night with 12 points and a career-best 10 assists – the most assists by an individual since 2014. Junior Jessica Jackson dropped in 20 points, her eighth 20+ point performance of the year. Jackson also had an Arkansas best eight boards. Junior Alecia Cooley added 11 points and six boards all in the second half in the win.

The victory moves Arkansas to 11-15 overall and 6-7 in the SEC while Bama falls to 14-12 overall and 3-10 in league games.

The fast-paced first half was exciting to watch for the fans in attendance Thursday. Arkansas jumped out to an early lead hitting three, three-pointers in the first 10 minutes of play. They led by one, 17-16, after the first period.

The Razorbacks held Bama scoreless for three-plus minutes to start the second period but the Crimson Tide stormed back with four three-pointers of their own to erase an eight-point Arkansas lead.

Jackson had 10 points after the first 10 minutes but Alabama tightened up the defense on the junior holding her to just two points in the second frame. Bama hit a three to tie the game at 28 with 2:14 to go in the half but Arkansas got back-to-back jumpers from Devin Cosper and Malica Monk and held the Tide scoreless to take a 32-28 lead into the locker room at the break.

Arkansas struggled on the defensive end to start the third period and committed seven fouls in the first 5:30 of the period sending Bama to the line. The Crimson Tide hit 9-for-10 from the bonus stripe and took the lead for the first time in the game at the 5:13 point of the frame.

As the game got tight so did the Arkansas offense as the Razorbacks went cold from the floor committing five turnovers in the midst of an 0-4 run that lasted more than three minutes. The Razorbacks forced Alabama into a couple of fouls and did a good job from the foul line as well with both teams finishing 10-for-12 from the line in the third period.

Arkansas opened the final period on a 7-0 run giving the Razorbacks a six-point lead but Bama fought its way back getting to the foul line and going 5-for-5 in the last 10 minutes. Arkansas had three consecutive turnovers that turned into Alabama points capped off by a three-pointer tying the game at 67-all with 17 seconds remaining in regulation.

That is when the ball went to Danberry who hit what would be the game-winner for the Razorbacks. Danberry had the same shot in Arkansas’ win over Vanderbilt last week showing the Razorbacks’ confidence in the freshman with the game on the line.

NOTES
• Arkansas Starters: Jessica Jackson, Devin Cosper, Jordan Danberry, Melissa Wolff, Alecia Cooley
• Arkansas is 19-13 all-time against Alabama
• The Razorbacks have won five in a row against the Crimson Tide
• Arkansas won the tip
• Jessica Jackson had 10 points in the first period
o It is the sixth time Jackson has scored in double figures in the first half
o It is the 13th time a Razorback has been in double figures in the first half
o Jackson finished with 20 points – her eighth 20-point effort of the year
• Jordan Danberry had a career-best 10 assists
o That is the most assists by an individual this year
o It is the most since Danberry had five assists versus Mississippi Valley State
o It is the first time since Jan. 19, 2014 that a Razorback had 10 or more assists (Calli Berna vs. Ole Miss)
• Alecia Cooley scored 11 points
o It is her seventh double figure scoring game of the year

UP NEXT
• Feb. 21 at Kentucky
• Feb. 25 at Georgia
• Feb. 28 Ole Miss
• March 2-6 at SEC Tournament – Jacksonville, Fla.

For more information on Arkansas women’s basketball, follow @RazorbackWBB on Twitter.