Razorbacks To Take Part in Gulf Coast Showcase

Mario Bravante November 4, 2020

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Women’s Basketball will play in the bdG Sports’ #BeachBubble at the Gulf Coast Showcase, Head Coach Mike Neighbors announced today. The six-team event will be played inside of Florida Gulf Coast’s Alico Arena, located in Fort Myers, Florida. The tournament will begin on November 27 and run through November 29.

“Challenging your team with an appropriate schedule is always a priority,” Neighbors said. “Every year it’s a complex puzzle. Factor in the challenges of COVID-19 protocols, and it’s like building a 1,000 piece puzzle without knowing what the picture looks like. On top of that, it feels like every day you begin where you left off, and someone has hidden the pieces. That’s what Associate Head Coach Todd Schaefer’s mornings have been like since March. With tournaments all over the country canceling events, we are very thankful to bd Global for ensuring our student athletes a safe environment to compete against outstanding competition this Thanksgiving. Three quality opponents in three days will test us immediately in the non-conference portion of our schedule.”

The tournament field at the Gulf Coast showcase will give the Razorbacks a good test right out of the gate in 2020-21. The Hogs will open the Gulf Coast Showcase against Wake Forest, one of three Power Five teams in the loaded field. The Demon Deacons return forward Ivana Raca, who led the team in scoring (17.2), but will have to account for the points (12.5) and rebounds (8.4) they will lose via the graduation of guard Alex Sharp. That game will be played early, tipping off at 10:30 a.m. CT.

On day two of the event, Arkansas will face one of the winningest teams in college hoops last season, as Neighbors’ Hogs will play Florida Gulf Coast. Florida Gulf Coast was one of just four women’s teams in the nation last season to win at least 30 games. The Eagles’ formula to get those wins is very similar to the one the Razorbacks deploy. The Eagles led the nation in three-point field goals made per game (12.0), fewest turnovers per game (10.5) and were 15^th nationally in scoring offense (78.6). The Hogs, in contrast, finished third in offensive output (83.4), third in fewest turnovers per game (11.0) and fifth in three pointers made per game (9.8). Game two will be played at 1:30 p.m. CT.

The tournament will conclude with a bang for the Hogs, as they will take on Maryland on the event’s final day. Maryland was dominant last season, finishing the year 28-4 and winning the Big Ten’s regular season and Big Ten Tournament titles. This game, like the FGCU game, could be a shootout, as the Terrapins finished fourth in scoring in the NCAA last season (82.8 PPG), just one slot below the Razorbacks. It will be a battle between two former Big Ten Freshman of the Year winners as well, as Arkansas guard Destiny Slocum won the award in 2017 while playing for the Terrapins, while Ashley Owusu (12.0 PPG, 5.4 APG) won the award last season, her first at Maryland. That game will be the finale of the tournament, tipping off at 4:30 p.m. CT.

Below is the full tournament schedule:

Friday, Nov. 27

Arkansas vs. Wake Forest – 10:30 a.m.
Davidson vs. Maryland – 1:30 p.m.
Missouri State vs. FGCU – 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 28

Wake Forest vs. Davidson – 10:30 a.m.
FGCU vs. Arkansas – 1:30 p.m.
Maryland vs. Missouri State – 4:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 29

Davidson vs. FGCU – 10:30 a.m.
Missouri State vs. Wake Forest – 1:30 p.m.
Arkansas vs. Maryland – 4:30 p.m.

There will be no general fan access for the Gulf Coast Showcase games and tickets will not be available to the general public. A limited number of “Spectator Credentials” will be supplied to each team. A requirement to receiving these team-issued credentials, all individuals will receive a COVID-19 rapid antigen test at the event’s medical center at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point. All nine games will be available live and on-demand on FloHoops.

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.