Jackson Scores 26 Against Georgia

February 2, 2017

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas senior Jessica Jackson scored 26 points and paced a furious come-back attempt in the fourth quarter but the Razorbacks dropped a 69-66 contest to Georgia in Bud Walton Arena on Thursday.

Arkansas (13-9, 2-7 SEC) shot just 27.8% while the Bulldogs (11-11, 3-6) snapped a five-game conference losing streak with the win.

Jackson’s game-high 26 points is her 17th game in double figures and her fifth game with 20 or more points this season. The Jacksonville, Arkansas native made three 3-pointers and had a career-high 11 points from the free throw line. She added five rebounds and two blocks in 34 minutes.

Trailing 55-42 heading into the fourth quarter, Arkansas outscored the Bulldogs 24-14 with seven makes including three from distance. They were 7-for-12 from the line in the final stanza.

Down 10 with 3:04 to go in the game, Jackson was fouled and hit both of the free throws to excite the crowd and change the momentum. Cosper drilled a 3-pointer after a Georgia miss but the Razorbacks were forced to foul with time running out.

Arkansas’ defense rallied holding Georgia without a field goal for the final 5:12 of the game but the Bulldogs converted on six bonus shots in the closing minutes.

Junior Devin Cosper added nine points while freshman Jailyn Mason had eight and four rebounds. Sophomore Malica Monk had seven points, four rebounds and four assists for the Razorbacks.

Key Stat: 27.8%
The Razorback offense shot just 27.8% going 22-for-79 in the game. They took 22 more shots than Georgia and made two fewer baskets.

Key Play: Third Quarter Zone
Arkansas tried to change up the defense playing zone for much of the start of the third quarter. The Razorbacks struggled to rebound out of the zone and were outscored 14-7 in the first 6:30 of the frame trailing by double digits for the first time in the contest.

The third quarter finished with a 21-10 advantage to Georgia as the Bulldogs took a 13-point lead into the final 10 minutes of play.

Notable
• Freshman Kiara Williams got her second career start along with Jessica Jackson, Jailyn Mason, Malica Monk and Bailey Zimmerman.
• Freshman Jailyn Mason scored first for Arkansas with a 3-pointer from the left side.
• Arkansas opened the game with back-to-back 3-pointers, first Mason then Jessica Jackson.
• Jessica Jackson hit a 3-pointer at the two-minute mark of the second quarter for her 11th point. It is the sixth time this year Jackson has scored double figures in the first half. Jackson had 12 points at the break.
• Freshman Kiara Williams tied her career-best with six rebounds in the first half. She finished with a career-best seven rebounds in the game.
• Jessica Jackson scored a career-best 11 points from the free throw line going 11-for-16 but the Razorbacks were just 12-for-23 as a team.
• The Razorbacks had just nine turnovers – the fewest miscues in a conference game this season.

Up Next
Arkansas remains at home hosting No. 4 South Carolina on Sunday. The Razorbacks then play four of their final six games on the road, with home games against Kentucky on Feb. 16 and Auburn on Feb. 26.

To order tickets for the 2016-17 season, call the Razorback Ticket Center at 800-982-HOGS (4647) or 479-575-5151.

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