Razorbacks Fall At The Buzzer
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The University of Arkansas women’s basketball team lost its first game of the 2016-17 season by the slimmest of margins, falling 64-62 to Missouri State on Sunday afternoon in JQH Arena.
Keiryn Swenson briefly tied the game at 62-all with 10.9 seconds left after scoring a put-back layup and making the free throw to complete the 3-point play. On the other end, Missouri State’s Lexi Hughes hit a runner in the lane with 1.4 seconds left to lead 64-62. Arkansas (9-1) had a final opportunity to tie or win, but a 3-pointer by the Razorbacks was off the mark as time expired.
Devin Cosper led three scorers in double figures with a career-high 18 points off the bench. Malica Monk added 14 points and Jessica Jackson finished with 11 points and nine rebounds, her 10th straight game in double figures.
Missouri State’s Liza Fruendt led all scorers with a career-high 23 points, going 5-of-9 from 3-point range. Aubrey Buckley also scored a career high, finishing with 14 points. As a team, Missouri State (3-6) was 8-of-21 from 3-point range.
Arkansas returns home for its final three nonconference games of the season, beginning with Northwestern State on Sunday afternoon.
Key Run I
After a 2:37 scoring drought to end the first half, Missouri State went on a 7-0 run early in the third quarter to take a 37-35 lead with 6:35 left in the third quarter. The run included five straight points by Liza Fruendt and an offensive rebound and put-back by Rachel Swartz as the shot clock expired to cap the run.
Key Run II
Trailing 61-57 in the final minute of the game, Arkansas scored on back-to-back possessions, first on a jumper by Malica Monk, and then on a 3-point play by Keiryn Swenson, to tie the game at 62-62 with 10.9 seconds left.
Key Stat – 38.1
Missouri State shot 38.1 percent from 3-point range, knocking down 8-of-21 3-point field goals. It was the third-best percentage and the second-most 3-point field goals allowed by Arkansas this season. Liza Fruendt led the way for the Lady Bears, going 5-of-9 from 3-point range on the way to a career-high 23 points.
Notable
• Arkansas is 8-18 in road games, including 5-5 in nonconference road games, under head coach Jimmy Dykes.
• Arkansas is 21-8 all-time against Missouri State, including 10-4 in games played in Springfield. Arkansas, however, has lost each of the last two meetings in the series.
• Arkansas has used the same starting five for each of the first 10 games: Malica Monk, Jailyn Mason, Jessica Jackson, Bailey Zimmerman and Alecia Cooley.
• Devin Cosper became the fifth different Razorbacks to score in double figures in the first half of a game with 13 of her team-high 18 points in the first half.
• Malica Monk has scored in double figures in seven of the first 10 games this season, finishing with 14 points.
• Jessica Jackson has scored in double figures in the first 10 games this season, finishing with 11 points. She also finished one rebound shy of her first double-double season and the 15th of her career.
• Arkansas finished the first half on a 5-0 run, holding Missouri State without a point for the final 2:37 of the half.
• Arkansas saw its nine-game win streak to begin the 2016-17 snapped. The 9-1 start, however, is still the best start under head coach Jimmy Dykes and the best start since the 2013-14 season.
Up Next
Arkansas returns home for its final three nonconference games against Northwestern State (Dec. 18), Oral Roberts (Dec. 21) and Houston Baptist (Dec. 28). Arkansas then travels to Ole Miss for its SEC opener on New Year’s Day and plays Mississippi State on Jan. 5 in its SEC home opener.
To order tickets for the 2016-17 season, click here or call the Razorback Ticket Center at 800-982-HOGS (4647) or 479-575-5151. Fans can email the Razorback Ticket Center at raztk@uark.edu.
For more information on Arkansas women’s basketball, follow @RazorbackWBB on Twitter.
