Basketball (W)

Preview – No. 22 Razorbacks Head to No. 1/1 South Carolina

kylie magar January 21, 2023

FAYETTEVILLE – The No. 22 Arkansas women’s basketball team (17-4, 4-2 SEC) is faced with back-to-back road tests against top five opponents, as the Razorbacks are set to face No. 1/1 South Carolina (19-0, 7-0 SEC) on Sunday afternoon. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. Central Time inside the confines of Colonial Life Arena and will be broadcast on ESPN2.

GAME INFORMATION

Date: Sunday, Jan. 22
Time: 2 p.m. CT
Opponent: No 1/1 South Carolina
Location: Colonial Life Arena (Columbia, S.C.)
Watch: ESPN2
Listen: Razorback Sports Network from Learfield
Arkansas Game Notes
South Carolina Game Notes
Live Stats

STORYLINES

  • The Razorbacks are 17-4, with the team’s 17 wins being the most since 2007-08 in a 21-game stretch. Arkansas is also 4-2 in the SEC, earning those four wins whilst cruising on a four-game winning streak
  • Although Arkansas is coming off a tough 79-76 loss at No. 3/4 LSU, the Razorbacks put the nation on notice for their fight and intensity, bringing a top LSU team down to the wire and leading late in the game
  • Arkansas women’s basketball is No. 22 in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll and has received 33 votes in the AP Poll coming into week 11 of the season. The Razorbacks were ranked for four straight weeks in the AP and WBCA Coaches polls prior to the team’s third loss of the season (#21, #21, #17 and #24 in AP)
  • Saylor Poffenbarger was named SEC Freshman of the Week for the fifth time earlier in the week after tallying 13 points and five rebounds against Vanderbilt
  • A win over South Carolina would mark the first win for Arkansas over a No. 1 team in school history. The closest Arkansas has gotten to defeating a No. 1 team is against Duke in 2002 (74-72 in OT)
  • South Carolina has not lost at home in a long time, and with an Arkansas victory, the Razorbacks would snap the Gamecocks’ 35-game home winning streak. The last time South Carolina lost at home was against NC State in 2020 (54-46)
  • Arkansas began the season 5-0 in true road games before dropping its game to No. 3/4 LSU in Baton Rouge
  • The Razorbacks are now going on to play the No. 1 team in the country in South Carolina, who is coming off the 2022 NCAA Championship. Arkansas has had to go on the road to face the No. 3/4 team (LSU) and No. 1/1 squad (South Carolina) back-to-back
  • Mike Neighbors has led the program to another winning year in the regular season, as the Razorbacks have 17 wins. This marks the fifth regular season winning year for coach at Arkansas
  • All five Arkansas starters are averaging double digits in scoring (or near to it)
  • Erynn Barnum leads the Razorbacks with 16.0 points per game and 25 total blocks. She has doubled her averages from last season and can be looked to be one of the most improved players in the country
  • Poffenbarger continues to bring great defense to the team, leading the way in rebounding with 7.5 per game, 137 of her 157 rebounds coming on the defensive side
  • Samara Spencer is the second leading scorer with 15.3 points per game and leads the team in assists with 97, 4.6 per game. Her assist total has already surpassed the total she accumulated last season as a freshman
  • Makayla Daniels leads the team in steals with 30, while also averaging 13.3 points per game
  • Chrissy Carr puts up 11.5 points per game and leads the squad with 47 3-pointers
  • The team is second in the SEC in least turnovers per game with 13.48, which is right behind South Carolina’s 13.42
  • Arkansas gets to the line 24.81 times per game, which is second in the conference and fourth in the country
  • In the SEC, Arkansas leads in 3-point attempts per game (26.7) and is No. 2 in 3-pointers per game (8.5)
  • The Razorbacks have outrebounded opponents in 13 games. The team’s 30.5 defensive rebounds per game is the 15th most in the country

SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA

  • After winning the 2022 NCAA Championship and returning most of its production from that time, including reigning National Player of the Year Aliyah Boston, it’s no question South Carolina was picked as the favorite to win the SEC in the Preseason Coaches and Media polls
  • Boston was tabbed SEC Preseason Player of the Year, as well as a First Team Preseason selection. Zia Cooke was also named to the First Team and Victaria Saxton was a Second Team choice in the preseason poll
  • The Gamecocks are one of three 7-0 teams in the SEC, as well as one of three undefeated squads in the country
  • Cooke leads the team with 15.4 points per game
  • Boston is averaging a near double-double of 12.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, with her rebounds and blocks (38) pacing the team
  • Raven Johnson has dished out 63 assists and 23 steals, which both lead the team
  • Dawn Staley is one of the accomplished coaches in women’s basketball. She comes into Sunday’s game with a 557-185 career record and 385 wins compared to 105 losses at South Carolina

HISTORY AGAINST THE GAMECOCKS

  • South Carolina holds the advantage over Arkansas in the all-time series with a 24-18 edge
  • The first game of this series was held on Feb. 2, 1992, coinciding with Arkansas’ first year in the SEC. South Carolina defeated the Razorbacks in Fayetteville, 58-51
  • The Razorbacks are on a six-game losing streak against South Carolina
  • Arkansas is 1-9 in the last 10 meetings against the Gamecocks, with the Razorbacks’ last win coming on March 7, 2019, in the SEC Tournament (95-89). That win by Neighbors’ team broke a 10-game losing streak for Arkansas over South Carolina
  • Arkansas is 5-12 vs. South Carolina in Columbia, with its last win there coming on Feb. 14, 2010 (72-68)
  • In last year’s meeting in Fayetteville, Arkansas was down by just two points with two minutes remaining, but the Gamecocks went on to win 61-52. Daniels led Arkansas with 17 points and five rebounds. The two teams faced off once again at the SEC Tournament, in which the Razorbacks lost, 76-54. Spencer logged 10 points and eight rebounds, while Daniels registered nine points and nine boards

LAST TIME OUT

  • Arkansas fell short of defeating No. 3/4 LSU in Baton Rouge on Thursday, dropping the game, 79-76. The Razorbacks were up with under three minutes left in the game, but with no field goals in the final 3:21, LSU went on to close out the game on a night where they led for majority of the contest
  • Five players scored in double digits for the second straight game
  • Barnum led with 20 points, seven rebounds and two blocks
  • Spencer logged 13 points and six assists
  • Carr followed with 12 points with three 3-pointers mixed in there
  • Daniels finished with 11 points and six assists, while delivering all of her points in the second half, including three big 3-pointers
  • Maryam Dauda had her most efficient game in her young career by matching a career-high 11 points off 5-of-7 shooting with four boards, two assists and two blocks in 13 minutes
  • Arkansas was disruptive, forcing 17 LSU turnovers

 UPCOMING

Arkansas will return home for two games, starting with a matchup versus Alabama on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. The game will serve as Arkansas’ We Back Pat night.

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.

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