Preview - #10 Arkansas vs. #7 Utah

Mario Bravante March 15, 2022

NCAA First Round
Date: Friday, March 18
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Opponent: Utah
Location: Frank Erwin Center
TV: ESPNEWS (Angel Gray, Chelsea Gray)

STORYLINES

The Hogs are dancing once again, as they were selected as the #10 Seed in the Spokane Region.
Arkansas is set to take on Utah, the #7 seed in the region.
Including the COVID-19 season in which the 2020 tournament was canceled, this marks the third straight season Arkansas has gone dancing. It’s the third time in program history the Hogs have gone three straight years, and just the second time since they joined the SEC back in 1991.
The Razorbacks will also have a shot at redemption, as they will play the Utes in the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, the same site where Wright State upset them in the 2021 tournament.
This will be Arkansas’ 13th appearance ever in the NCAA Tournament, and the Hogs have a 14-12 record in the Big Dance.
The Hogs are 9-3 in opening round games, but fell in the opening round a season ago to Wright State, 66-62.
If the Hogs were to advance out of the first round, they would meet the winner of #2 seed Texas and #15 seed Fairfield.
Arkansas comes into the dance with some momentum, as the Hogs have won two of three, beating other bubble teams Missouri and Mississippi State to lock up their NCAAT spot.
The Hogs’ OT win vs. Mizzou in the SEC tournament wasn’t pretty, but the Hogs found a way.
Despite shooting just 27 percent from the field, Arkansas was able to overcome a nine-point deficit.
Amber Ramirez led the way, scoring 17 points, while Makayla Daniels recorded the first double-double of her career (13 points, 14 rebounds).

LAST TIME OUT

Arkansas Women’s Basketball exited the SEC Tournament following the quarterfinal round, falling to No. 1 South Carolina, 76-54.
Samara Spencer led the way for the Hogs in the loss, scoring 10 points. Spencer nearly double-doubled in the game, as she also pulled down eight rebounds.
Makayla Daniels also nearly double-doubled for the second straight game, as she scored nine points and pulled down nine rebounds.
It was another slow start for the Hogs, as Carolina raced out to a quick 12-4 lead six minutes into the game. Aliyah Boston, the SEC Player of the Year, was great in the first quarter for Carolina, scoring five points, pulling down five rebounds, while also nabbing three steals. Arkansas finished the first quarter down 12, 24-12.
The Hogs didn’t quit though, winning the second frame, 17-16. Head Coach Mike Neighbors’ bunch cut the deficit to seven at one point in the third quarter, as a three-ball from Sasha Goforth made it a 44-37 game with 6:50 to play in the frame.
From then on, though, Carolina put its foot on the gas, leading by as many as 24 points in the game. The Gamecocks ended up going wire-to-wire, as the Hogs never led.
Rylee Langerman added some scoring punch for the Hogs, chipping in with eight points.
Erynn Barnum was also effective off the bench, going for seven points, four boards, two assists and two blocks.

SCOUTING UTAH

For the first time since 2011, the Utes are back into the NCAA Tournament.
This will be the Utes’ 18th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first under Roberts.
The Utes have been a seventh-seed once before, coming in the 1998 tournament. The highest the Utes have been seeded is the fifth seed, in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.
The Utes earned an at-large bid after collecting the 29th 20-win season in program history and finishing the season 20-11. Utah closed out the season on a strong note, winning three games at the Pac-12 Tournament and advancing to its first championship game appearance.
Utah is the highest-scoring team in the Pac-12 (17th NCAA), averaging 76.0 points per game, and is on pace for the third-highest figure in school history and highest since 1980-81.
Utah also leads the Pac-12 in three-pointers made (5th NCAA; school-record 291), three-point attempts (6th NCAA; 825), assists (32nd NCAA; 473), assists per game (47th NCAA; 15.3), free throws made (11th NCAA; 452) and free throw attempts (37th NCAA; 578).
The Utes are led by freshman guard Gianna Kneepkens, who is averaging 12 points and just under four and a half rebounds a game.
It will be a matchup of Freshmen of the Year in this one – Kneepkens was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, while Samara Spencer earned the same honor in the SEC.
Kneepkens was great for the Utes in the Pac-12 Tournament, highlighted by her 24 point, seven rebound, five assist performance against Oregon in the semifinal.
Like Arkansas, the Utes had two freshmen on the All-Freshman Team – Kneepkens and Jenna Johnson. The Hogs had Spencer and Jersey Wolfenbarger earn spots.
Johnson is second on the team in scoring, nipping at Kneepkens heels with her 11.9 PPG average.
The Hogs and Utes have both made the Big Dance despite going young – Arkansas and Utah are two of just three teams in the tournament with 50+ combined freshman starts.

NCAA TOURNAMENT TICKET INFORMATION – FIRST & SECOND ROUNDS

Click HERE for tickets.
Please indicate the quantity of tickets you would like to purchase for the first and second round.
Please note that the placement of an order DOES NOT guarantee tickets.
Fans will be notified via email by the Razorback Ticket Center no later than March 15, 2022 if we are able to fill their postseason request and how many tickets will be allotted.
Your card WILL NOT be charged until your order is filled.
Please select “Postseason Deferred Payments” on the checkout screen.
Ticket prices are TBA.
Those that receive first round tickets will automatically be charged for second round tickets if the Hogs advance.

For more information about Arkansas Women’s Basketball, follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @RazorbackWBB and on Facebook at Facebook.com/RazorbackWBB. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel, “Kickin’ It In The Neighborhood” for an inside look at the Razorback women’s basketball program and check out The Neighborhood podcasts at CoachNeighbors.com.