Preview – Razorbacks Host Golden Eagles

kylie magar December 3, 2022

FAYETTEVILLE – The Arkansas women’s basketball team (9-0) will host its first of five Sunday matinee games at Bud Walton Arena, as Oral Roberts (2-6) comes to town. Arkansas is off to its best start in the Mike Neighbors era and will look to begin the year 10-0 for the first time since 2013.

GAME INFORMATION

Date: Sunday, Dec. 4
Time: 2 p.m.
Opponent: Oral Roberts
Location: Bud Walton Arena
Watch: SECN+
Listen: Razorback Sports Network from Learfield
Promotions: Sunday Funday, Area School Team Day, Signature Sunday (postgame autographs)
Giveaway: Ugly Sweater T-shirt to first 700 fans
Tickets: Click HERE
Arkansas Game Notes
Oral Roberts Game Notes
Live Stats

STORYLINES

The Razorbacks are still undefeated at 9-0 and are one of 21 unbeaten teams in the country, one of three in the SEC
The team’s nine wins is tied for the most in the country (with Virginia and Stanford)
The Razorbacks’ 9-0 start is the third time in 10 years the program has commenced the season with nine straight wins
Sunday’s game against ORU is the second of four straight home games for the Razorbacks
With a win on Sunday, Arkansas will start the year 10-0 for the first time since 2013 and fourth time in program history
Arkansas received votes in the AP Poll with 36, just missing a spot in the rankings
The team is coming off an 87-70 victory over Troy at home to make it four straight victories in Bud Walton Arena
Four Razorbacks are averaging double-digits in scoring
Erynn Barnum leads the team with 16.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game
Samara Spencer has racked up 42 assists to lead the team, while averaging 13.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Her assists per game is fifth in the SEC and her assists total is 21st in the NCAA
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 12.6 points per game
Barnum’s field goal percentage continues to lead the SEC at .679 and is sixth in the NCAA, which is ahead of Aliyah Boston’s .648. Barnum also gets to the line as many times as anyone in the country, leading the SEC while standing sixth in the NCAA (59)
The team is leading the SEC in 3-point attempts per game (26.4), as well as second in free throw makes per game (18.0), defensive rebounds per game (33.6) and 3-pointers per game (8.2)
Arkansas teams in the past few years have not been known for rebounding the ball well, but that has changed, as the Razorbacks have outrebounded opponents in eight of nine games. Arkansas leads the SEC in defensive rebounding percentage (.772), third in rebounds per game with 45.0 (22nd in the NCAA) and sixth in rebounding margin at 7.1
Prior to returning back to BWA for the team’s first of four games at home, the Razorbacks won the Paradise Jam Reef Tournament Championship in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 3-0. Arkansas defeated Northern Arizona (82-73), Clemson (76-62) and No. 25 Kansas State (69-53) to come home with the tournament trophy
Daniels was named Tournament MVP after averaging 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Carr also made a spot on the All-Tournament Team after averaging 14.7 points and 5.0 rebounds, as well as tallying eight 3-pointers across the three games
Neighbors is a fairly new member of the 200-win club after earning the feat following the Razorbacks’ 82-73 win over NAU. Coach also surpassed 100 wins at Arkansas, becoming the fourth Razorback head coach to do so following the team’s 80-59 win over Kent State
With Neighbors in charge, the Hogs are coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances (should be back-to-back-to-back had the COVID-19 pandemic have not cancelled the 2020 tournament) and four consecutive winning seasons. Neighbors also has the most wins of any collegiate coach with 10 years of experience
The Razorbacks were projected to finish fourth in the SEC Preseason Media Poll and tied for fifth in the SEC Preseason Coaches Poll. Daniels represents Arkansas on the Preseason Second Team (Coaches poll)

SCOUTING ORAL ROBERTS

The Golden Eagles are 2-6 under Kelsi Musick, who is in her first year at the helm
ORU has faced a tough schedule to open the year, facing No. 15 Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Tulsa. The Golden Eagles are coming off a 100-40 victory over Central Christian on Monday
Five ORU players are averaging double digits, paced by Hannah Cooper who tallies 19.0 points per game and a team-leading 37 assists and 12 steals
Tirzah Moore has been crashing the boards hard with 11.2 per game
ORU was chosen to finish third in the Summit League, according to the league’s head coaches. The Golden Eagles finished 16-15 with a 10-8 mark, ending the year at the Summit League Semifinals with a 72-53 loss to South Dakota State
South Dakota State and South Dakota were the only two teams picked in front of ORU in the preseason poll
Moore was chosen to the Preseason All-Summit League First Team. Last season, she logged 14.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game
Coach Musick is at the helm of a DI team for the first time in her career. She is coming off a successful 13 years at Southwestern Oklahoma, where she led the Bulldogs to the 2019 NCAA DII National Championship game and 259 total wins
Musick was hired as ORU’s 11th head coach on April 21, 2022

HISTORY AGAINST THE GOLDEN EAGLES

The Arkansas vs. ORU series is one of the longest series for the Razorbacks against a non-SEC opponent
Sunday’s contest will mark the 32nd game of the series, where Arkansas has a 23-9 advantage
Arkansas is 18-2 in Fayetteville against the Golden Eagles
The Razorbacks are on a four-game winning streak against ORU and have won nine of the last 10 meetings

LAST TIME OUT

Arkansas is continuing with its hot start, beginning the year 9-0 following an 87-70 victory over Troy
Five Arkansas players finished the game in double digits in scoring, which is a first for the team this season
Spencer paced the team in scoring for the fourth time this year, logging 19 points with six assists
Barnum is continuing to play well, registering 18 points and eight rebounds
Carr knocked down more shots Thursday, ending the night with 14 points with two 3-pointers
Jersey Wolfenbarger logged a season-high 11 points off the bench after shooting 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and added two blocks
Daniels had her 10 points in the first quarter, drawing seven fouls and adding four assists and three steals
Saylor Poffenbarger recorded nine points and five assists
The team had 20 assists on 31 made shots, a season-high

UPCOMING

Arkansas’s third of four straight home games will come next Thursday, Dec. 8 against Lamar. Tipoff is set at 7 p.m. at Bud Walton Arena with coverage of the contest broadcast on SEC Network+.

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.