Preview – 21/22 Razorbacks Host Lamar

kylie magar December 7, 2022

FAYETTEVILLE – The No. 21/22 Arkansas women’s basketball team (10-0) is looking to continue its best start since 2013, as the team plays its third straight game at home in Bud Walton Arena, this time against Lamar (3-3). Arkansas is playing the first time this season with a number ahead of their name, earning their way into the top 25 in the AP and WBCA Coaches polls.

GAME INFORMATION

Date: Thursday, Dec. 8
Time: 7 p.m.
Opponent: Lamar
Location: Bud Walton Arena
Watch: SECN+
Listen: Razorback Sports Network from Learfield
Tickets: Click HERE
Arkansas Game Notes
Lamar Game Notes
Live Stats

STORYLINES

Arkansas is still one of the few undefeated teams in the country, one of 15
The Razorbacks came in at No. 21 in the week five AP Poll and No. 22 in the WBCA Coaches Poll, which is the first time the program has been ranked since the 2020-21 season
The team is 10-0, which is the best start in the Mike Neighbors era at Arkansas and best for the program since 2013 (when that team started the year 13-0)
Arkansas is one of 15 remaining undefeated teams in the country. The team’s 10 wins is tied with Stanford and Virginia as the most in the country
For just the fourth time in program history, the Razorbacks have started a season 10-0
Arkansas is coming off two wins at home last week after beating Troy, 87-70, and taking down Oral Roberts, 92-58
The team has continued to show how any player one through five on the court can get hot at any minute, as four players are averaging double-digits in scoring
Erynn Barnum leads the team with 15.8 points and her 7.6 rebounds per game is tied for the most on the team with Saylor Poffenbarger, who also leads the team in blocks (11)
Samara Spencer has racked up 45 assists to lead the team, while averaging 15.3 points per game. Her assists per game is fourth in the SEC and 45 total assists is 30th in the NCAA
Spencer is coming off the first 30-point game of her career, becoming one of 66 in program history to log a 30-point game after logging a career-high 32 against Oral Roberts
Makayla Daniels has the most steals on the team with 19. She is third on the team in scoring with 13.3 points per game
Carr is the fourth Razorback in double digits in scoring with 12.8 points per game, while leading the team with 24 3-pointers
Barnum’s field goal percentage continues to lead the SEC at .674. She gets to the line as many times as anyone in the country, sitting second in the SEC and 20th in the NCAA (59)
Arkansas leads the league in defensive rebounding percentage, which is probably the most impressive stat the team leads the SEC in, holding a .773 percentage
The team is leading the SEC in 3-point attempts per game (26.8), defensive rebounds per game (34.4) and 3-pointers per game (8.4)
Neighbors’ teams in the past few years have not been known for rebounding the ball effectively, but that has changed, as the Razorbacks have outrebounded opponents in nine of 10 games. The team’s 34.4 defensive rebounds per game is the second most in the country

SCOUTING LAMAR

The Cardinals are 4-3 coming into Thursday’s game in Fayetteville, as head coach Aqua Franklin is in her fourth season as the head coach
Lamar began the season at Baylor (L, 88-50) and has since won four of their last six games
Sabria Dean leads Lamar with 16.1 points per game and 18 steals
Emma Imevbore pulls down the most rebounds per game with a 7.7 average
Portia Adams leads the Cardinals with 26 assists
Lamar was picked as No. 4 in the Southland Conference Preseason Poll out of 10 teams
Last season, the Cardinals finished with a 14-15 record, 8-10 in the Western Athletic Conference
Akasha Davis represents Lamar on the Southland Conference Preseason Second Team. Last season, Davis paced the Cardinals with 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, and was named WAC Freshman of the Year

HISTORY AGAINST THE CARDINALS

Thursday’s game marks the sixth contest of the series
Lamar has the 3-2 advantage over Arkansas, but the Razorbacks have won the last two out of three
Arkansas is 1-0 in Fayetteville against the Cardinals
In the last meeting between the two teams, Arkansas beat Lamar in the first round of the 2011 WNIT, 91-65

LAST TIME OUT

Arkansas took down Oral Roberts 92-58 after outscoring the Golden Eagles 51-21 in the second half
Spencer went off on her 20th birthday to lead the Razorbacks with a career-high 32 points off 10-of-17 shooting from the field and a career-high six 3-pointers. She also drew six fouls and had three assists and three steals
Carr followed with 15 points with three of those shots coming from beyond the arc and five rebounds
Poffenbarger earned the first double-double of her career after tallying 14 points and a career-high 13 rebounds with five assists. She was tabbed SEC Freshman of the Week for the second straight time
Maryam Dauda logged 10 points off the bench with a career-high eight rebounds and two blocks
Jersey Wolfenbarger finished just shy of a double-double with nine points and a career-high 12 rebounds and four blocks
Barnum matched a career-high four assists
Arkansas pulled down a season-high 57 rebounds

UPCOMING

Arkansas finishes its four-game homestand by hosting Arkansas State on Sunday, Dec. 11 for a 3 p.m. tipoff. The game, which will be broadcast on SEC Network, is the final in-state matchup for the Razorbacks during the regular season.

MORE INFORMATION

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.