Monk, Dungee Combine For 50 Points In Comeback Win
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – University of Arkansas senior Malica Monk and sophomore Chelsea Dungee combined for 50 points helping the Razorbacks erase a 15-point Florida lead in an 83-73 Southeastern Conference victory in Gainesville on Sunday.
Monk dropped in a season-best 25 points and Dungee matched that with her ninth game with 20 or more after neither player scored in the first quarter.
In fact, almost no one scored in the first quarter as the Gators jumped out to a 19-7 lead after the first 10 minutes.
The Second Quarter
Arkansas rallied outscoring Florida 30-16 in the second frame to lead at the break. The Gators were up, 26-12 when Arkansas put together a 7-0 run that ignited the Razorbacks. Dungee was fouled and hit a pair of free throws. Then Monk drained a 3-pointer from the right side. Monk bolted back on defense and got a steal that she drove the length of the court and laid in capping the run.
Down by just six points, the Razorbacks finished the frame with a 17-9 run including a dramatic 3-pointer from Mason at the buzzer giving Arkansas a 37-35 lead at the break. Dungee and Monk scored nine points each followed by five from Mason, four from Taylah Thomas and two from Alexis Tolefree.
Florida kept the game close for the early part of the third quarter until Monk got another layup for the 51-50 lead with 4:31 to play in the frame. Arkansas would go on to lead by as many as nine points before finishing off the 10-point victory.
The win is the third of the week for Arkansas who picked up a win at Tennessee on Monk’s last second shot on Monday. The Razorbacks defeated Alabama on Thursday and got their second road win on Sunday. The Razorbacks’ 5-2 league record moves them into a T-3rd in the SEC standings.
Monk and Dungee scored 50 of Arkansas’ 83 points. Jailyn Mason was in double-figures for the seventh time this year with 12 points. The Razorbacks shot 47.6%, their fourth-best shooting percentage of the season and went 18-for-23 from the line. Arkansas forced 15 Gator turnovers, keeping the streak of double-digit turnovers by opponents in every game alive. The Razorbacks only turned it over eight times, the eighth time Arkansas has had 10 or fewer miscues.
Notes
•Arkansas Starters: Alexis Tolefree, Malica Monk, Kiara Williams, Jailyn Mason, Chelsea Dungee
•Arkansas is 10-28 all-time against Florida.
•The win snaps a five-game losing streak to Florida and a five-game losing streak in Gainesville, with the last road win coming with a 83-74 victory on Feb. 19, 2009.
•Arkansas scored just five first quarter points – the lowest first period point total of the season.
•Arkansas erased a 15-point Florida lead winning the second quarter, 30-16. Malica Monk and Chelsea Dungee each scored nine points in the second stanza.
•Arkansas has forced double figure turnovers by their opponent in every game this season. The Gators had 15 turnovers.
•Arkansas won the third quarter for the 12th time this season, 28-21.
•The win is the fourth in a row in SEC play – the first four-game league winning streak since 2012.
•Arkansas won three games in seven days (at Tennessee, Alabama and at Florida).
•Arkansas won the fourth quarter for the 14th time this year and is 11-4 when winning the final frame.
•Malica Monk has scored 20+ points three times this year.
•Chelsea Dungee has scored in double figures 18 times this year and had 20+ points in nine games.
