Preview - Arkansas vs. Mississippi State

Mario Bravante January 22, 2022

INFO
Date: Sunday, Jan. 23
Time: 3 p.m.
Opponent: Mississippi State
Location: Bud Walton Arena
TV: SEC Network
Listen: Tune-In
Tickets: Click HERE ($5 Adult/$3 Youth Online, $10 Adult/$8 Youth Walk-Up)
Promotions: We Back Pat/Outback Bowl Trophy Pictures
Game Program: Click HERE

LAST TIME OUT

Arkansas got its first road win of 2022 on Thursday night, crushing the Crimson Tide 99-71.
The Hogs controlled this game essentially from tip to buzzer – Alabama’s last lead in the game came with 8:51 in the first quarter.
Arkansas caught fire from deep against Alabama, hitting 15 of their 29 three-pointers, a new season-high.
Redshirt senior guard Amber Ramirez led the charge in this one, nearly triple-doubling against the Tide.
Ramirez would finish the game with 19 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. She hit five threes in the contest, her third time already in conference play hitting five or more triples.
The lead guard duo of Samara Spencer and Makayla Daniels chipped in with 18 points each.
The Hogs scored well in the first frame, totaling 21 points, but their defense was suffocating in the opening period, holding the Tide to just 11 points. Arkansas held Alabama to just 25 percent shooting in the frame, and forced six Alabama turnovers. The Hogs would go into halftime up 44-27, with a chance to put the game away in the third quarter.
Head Coach Mike Neighbors’ squad did just that, using a 14-5 spurt at the end of the third quarter to put this game to bed early. Erynn Barnum, who saw game action for the first time since she was injured against Cal all the way back on December 5, helped the Hogs keep the pedal down, as she scored six points in the third.
Spencer’s 18 points was a career best for her. So were her four made threes.
Ramirez’s seven assists in the game matched her career-high (7, at Kentucky, 2-15-18)
Jersey Wolfenbarger got into double-figures, going for 12 points.
Sasha Goforth also returned to double-figures, her third time doing so in five SEC games.
Barnum was great in her return – she scored eight points, grabbed four rebounds and nabbed a steal in just 10 minutes of play.

STORYLINES

With 2022 in full swing, Arkansas is 12-6, having won two of their last three games.
Neighbors’ squad continues to hover towards the top of the NET rankings, and are 28th currently.
Most recently, Arkansas dominated Alabama on the road, 99-71.
The Hogs’ offense was dominant in this one – the Razorbacks shot 59.4 percent from the field in the win, only the fourth time since 2000 the Hogs shot the ball north of 59 percent.
Arkansas also hit 15 threes in the win, the seventh time the Hogs have hit that many from deep in the Neighbors’ era. The Hogs had never hit 15+ triples in a game before Neighbors returned.
Amber Ramirez led the way in the win, nearly triple-doubling.
The Splash Sister finished with 19 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the win.
She drained five more threes in the win, her third SEC game already hitting five or more.
The Hogs also got Erynn Barnum back against the Tide, a huge boost for Arkansas.
She looked great, too – she scored eight points and grabbed four boards in just 10 minutes.
Barnum, who was leading the team in scoring, rebounding and steals before injuring herself against Cal, hadn’t played for the Hogs since she went down on December 5.

SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE

The Bulldogs come to Bud Walton Arena in a similar situation as the Hogs, as both teams are 2-3 in SEC play thus far.
Head Coach Doug Novak’s squad has lost two in a row, falling at Ole Miss, 86-71, and falling to Georgia, 66-63.
Though they lost to Georgia, who is currently ranked 13th, Mississippi State nearly completed a crazy comeback, as they were down as many as 27 points in the game.
Bulldog star Rickea Jackson put on a show in the loss, scoring 27 points, 18 of which came after halftime.
Jackson has been awesome all season long for Novak, averaging 21.2 points and 7.0 rebounds so far this season.
Her 21.2 points per game is tops in the SEC.
She’s been just as good in SEC play, averaging 21.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in three games played.
Anastasia Hayes has also been a scoring machine in conference only games, averaging 21.6 points, tops in the league, on 51 percent shooting.
It will be a battle of clashing styles Sunday, as State leads the league in steals, with 52 in five SEC games. The Hogs take care of the ball, as they have a +6.8 TO ratio, second best in the league.

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.