Preview - Arkansas vs. #1 South Carolina

Mario Bravante January 14, 2022

INFO
Date: Sunday, Jan. 16
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Opponent: No. 1 South Carolina
Location: Bud Walton Arena
TV: ESPN2
Listen: Tune-In
Tickets: Click HERE ($5 Adult/$3 Youth Online, $10 Adult/$8 Youth Walk-Up)
Game Program: Click HERE

LAST TIME OUT

Arkansas Women’s Basketball got its first win of 2022, and its first SEC win of the young conference season, as the Hogs toppled rival Missouri, who came into the game without a loss in the SEC, 83-73.
The Hogs played arguably their most complete game of the season on Sunday afternoon in Bud Walton Arena – they hit 11 threes at a 40 percent clip, shot 43 percent from the field and only turned the ball over twice, the fewest ever in a game in program history.
Amber Ramirez was the leading scorer in this one, dropping in 21 points. She did a good chunk of her work from the charity stripe, hitting 11 of 12 from the free throw line, the first Razorback to hit 10+ freebies in a game since Chelsea Dungee did so against Ole Miss last season (14-17).
Rylee Langerman, though, made the biggest impact in this one – off the bench, she scored a career-best 17 points, while hitting five of her six long balls.
The first quarter was polar opposite to Arkansas’ seven-point opening frame against Vanderbilt on Thursday, as the Razorbacks raced to a 19-point start and a seven-point advantage over the Tigers after 10 minutes. The Hogs continued that trend through the second quarter and ended the half shooting over 52% from the field and over 46% from three-point range.
The Razorbacks held a 17-point lead after the first half and never allowed Missouri to come within eight points in the second half. The Hogs got to the free throw line 19 times in the second half, making 16 of them.
Ramirez went 9-9 from the charity stripe in the second half to put the game on ice.
Langerman’s six made field goals and five made threes were both career-bests.
Ramirez surpassed 1,000 career points with the Razorbacks with a stepback three-pointer in the fourth quarter.
Freshman Jersey Wolfenbarger returned to double-figures, scoring 11 points. She also grabbed five boards.
Makayla Daniels did it all in this one – she scored 17 points, pulled down a team-best eight boards, dished a team-best four assists and nabbed a team-best two steals.

STORYLINES

With 2022 in full swing, Arkansas is 11-5, winning their first SEC game against Mizzou.
Neighbors’ squad continues to hover towards the top of the NET rankings, and are 30th currently.
The Hogs nearly went wire-to-wire, downing the rival Tigers 83-73 in Bud Walton Arena.
Amber Ramirez led the way, dropping in 21 points, including 11 made free throws.
The Hogs only turned the ball over two times against Mizzou, a new program record.
Rylee Langerman played the best game of her career to date, scoring 17 big points.
She hit five of her six threes in the contest, a new career-best.
The Hogs now face their toughest test of the season coming off their best performance, as No. 1 South Carolina comes to Bud Walton Arena.
The Gamecocks only have one loss this season – to Missouri, the team the Hogs just beat.
Arkansas should also be well rested, as their first bye of the conference season came Thursday.
Makayla Daniels has become the leader of this team – through 16 games, Daniels leads the team in scoring (14.4 PPG), assists (2.8 APG), and steals (1.8 SPG), and is 2nd in rebounding (5.5 RPG).
She dropped in 17 points, pulled down eight boards and dished four assists against Missouri.
With her 21 points against Mizzou on Sunday, Amber Ramirez became the 30th Hog in program history to score 1,000 points at the school.
She did it in style too, hitting a ridiculous stepback three from well beyond the three-point line.
Ramirez has started to heat up for Arkansas – in SEC play, Ramirez is averaging 20.7 points per game, leading the team, while hitting 39 percent of her threes.
She’s gone for 20+ in two of Arkansas’ three games, including a season-high 26 in the Hogs’ narrow loss to then-No. 7 Tennessee.
Ramirez’s averages in the seven game she’s played against top-5 teams while on the Hill are up over her normal averages: 17.3 PPG on 46.9 percent from the field and 50 percent from long range.
Expanded out to top-10 teams, the same trend is evident: in 11 games, Ramirez has averaged 17 PPG on 47 percent from the field and 49 percent from three.

SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA

South Carolina, the number one team in the nation, comes to Bud Walton Arena on Sunday.
The Gamecocks have lost only once this season. Ironically, that loss came against Missouri, the team the Hogs just beat.
Aliyah Boston is the engine that makes Carolina go, and she’s been phenomenal during her junior season.
She’s averaging a double-double this season, scoring 17.2 points a game and grabbing 11.4 rebounds per game.
Boston has also blocked 54 shots this season, third-most in the NCAA.
Boston is just part of the machine though, as Zia Cooke, Destanni Henderson, Victoria Saxton and Brea Beal all still play for Dawn Staley.
Cooke is the team’s second leading scorer, giving the Gamecocks 12.4 points a game.
Henderson, meanwhile, leads the team in both assists and steals, with 66 and 25 of them, respectfully.
While only averaging 5.9 and 4.4 points a game, respectfully, both Saxton and Beal have been Arkansas killers in matchups past.
The Gamecocks are once again excellent on the glass – their 17.2 rebound margin is the best in the nation.
Their defense is also suffocating – they only allow opposing teams to shoot 34 percent from the field.

MORE INFORMATION

Parking will be free in Lot 56 (Off MLK and Razorback Road).

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.