Hogs fall to No. 1/1 South Carolina

kylie magar February 29, 2024

FAYETTEVILLE – The Arkansas women’s basketball team (18-12, 6-9 SEC) was defeated by No. 1/1 South Carolina (28-0, 15-0 SEC), 98-61, on Thursday night. Arkansas trailed 26-22 after the first quarter, but the Gamecocks outscored the Hogs 72-39 in the remaining three frames, as the Hogs were limited to eight players. Maryam Dauda led the Hogs with a career-high 19 points.

The Hogs got on the board first, as Samara Spencer shot two technical free throws. Dauda then drained a 3-pointer and Spencer went coast to coast for a layup, as Arkansas led 7-2 just 1:15 into the game. The Gamecocks quickly chipped away at the lead to go on a 7-0 run, while Arkansas fell into a two-minute drought. Makayla Daniels then dug the Hogs out of that drought and the Hogs’ 0-for-5 stretch from the field with a triple. SC got a second-chance layup to go back ahead, but Dauda made her second triple off a lucky bounce. The Hogs led, 15-13, at the media timeout taken with 4:12 left in the first quarter. The Gamecocks made back-to-back layups off second-chance opportunities, which was a part of an 8-0 run for SC. Arkansas was held without a field goal for over four minutes until Carly Keats took it to the lane for a layup. Spencer then drilled a 3-pointer on Arkansas’ final possession of the first quarter, as the Hogs trailed, 26-22, after one quarter.

SC made the first six field goals in the second quarter, as the Hogs were held scoreless until 2:59 left in the half. At the media timeout taken at the 4:34 mark, Arkansas trailed, 36-22. After an SC 3-pointer, the Gamecocks led, 40-22. Keats then converted a 3-point play for Arkansas’ first score of the second quarter. Daniels and Dauda both took it to the rack for layups, but SC responded each time, including a 3-pointer. Dauda came up with another layup, but the Gamecocks answered on their last possession of the quarter with another score. The Hogs trailed, 47-31, at the half, as Arkansas was outscored 21-9.

Dauda made the first basket of the second half with a turnaround jumper and then delivered off a catch and shoot 3-pointer, as the Hogs trailed, 49-36, with 8:37 left in the third quarter. The Gamecocks had an answer for each of the Hogs’ basket, starting the quarter 5-for-5 from the field. Jenna Lawrence then nailed a 3-pointer following SC’s first miss of the third quarter, as the Hogs trailed 57-43 with less than five minutes to play in the quarter. SC stretched their lead right before the media timeout, going up on the Hogs 59-43 with 4:21 remaining in the third. The Gamecocks continued their run, stretching it to a 10-0 one, as Arkansas was held in a scoring drought for over three minutes. Daniels then broke Arkansas’ drought with a layup. After the Gamecocks extended its lead to 26, Lawrence made a quick triple and Emrie Ellis found Daniels for a triple, as the Hogs went on a 6-0 run to finish the third quarter. The Hogs trailed 71-51 going into the final 10 minutes of the game.

The Gamecocks opened the fourth quarter on a 7-1 run, as Arkansas trailed 78-52 with 7:31 left in the game. Out of the timeout, the Hogs made their first field goal of the fourth with a Saylor Poffenbarger jumper. The Gamecocks went on a 17-2 run to lead 90-54 with less than four minutes left in the game. The Hogs did not have a field goal for over 4.5 minutes, and then Keats drained a jumper to elevate to double digits in scoring. Arkansas was outscored 27-10 in the fourth quarter to fall, 98-61.

HOG HIGHLIGHTS

Dauda registered a career-high 19 points, knocking down three triples. She added three blocks for her 10th 3+ block game of the season
Dauda is now No. 3 on the individual season blocks list with 71
Keats logged 11 points off 6-of-8 from the field. She added three rebounds and two steals. Her 11 points marked her eighth double-digit scoring game this season
Spencer recorded 11 points and went 6-of-8 from the line. She added three assists and three steals in 36 minutes
Moving up the individual season list, Spencer is eighth in free throws made (119) and logged her 23rd game in double figures, which leads the team
Daniels recorded 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal
Lawrence had six points off 2-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc with a career-high six rebounds in a career-high 21 minutes played off the bench
The team is now second in total blocks (162), fourth in 3-pointers made in a season (273) and fifth in single season defensive rebounds (854). Arkansas is four blocks away from the school record in individual season blocks
The Hogs won the turnover battle, 14-11 (+3)

UP NEXT

Arkansas will head to Oxford, Mississippi to face Ole Miss at SJB Pavilion on Sunday, March 3 at 3 p.m. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network.

MORE INFORMATION

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