Spencer Scores 24 in Setback at Texas A&M

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Arkansas women’s basketball team (18-10, 6-7 SEC) was outscored by Texas A&M (17-9, 6-7 SEC) 53-37 in the second half to fall 73-67 at Reed Arena Thursday night. Samara Spencer scored a game-high 24 points, including a 3-pointer with less than three minutes left in game to retake the lead, but that was short-lived, as TAMU closed out the game on a 9-2 run.

Arkansas got on the board first thanks to a Spencer layup off a second-chance opportunity. After over 3.5 minutes into the game and holding TAMU to 0-for-5, the Aggies then knocked down a triple. Saylor Poffenbarger broke the Hogs’ three-minute drought with a drive to the basket, but the Aggies responded with back-to-back baskets. At the media timeout taken at the 3:40 mark, TAMU led, 7-4. After the Aggies delivered a 3-point play, Maryam Dauda responded with one of her own and Spencer took it to the rack to help the Hogs retake the lead, 13-11. That lead did not last long, as the Aggies closed out the quarter on a 4-0 run. TAMU led 15-13 after the first quarter.

The Aggies opened the second quarter by knocking down a 3-pointer, but Dauda answered with a layup. Makayla Daniels then knocked down the Hogs’ first 3-pointer of the game and took it to the rack to tie the game at 20 with 7:12 left in the first half. Spencer then elevated the Hogs ahead with another take to the rack and Dauda followed with a tough layup. At the media timeout taken at the 4:23 mark, Arkansas led, 24-20. Daniels came up with a layup as the shot clock expired. The Hogs held the Aggies scoreless for the remaining 7:40 of the half, as Arkansas closed it up on a 12-0 run to lead 30-20. Arkansas outscored TAMU 17-5 in the second quarter.

Dauda and Daniels opened the third quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers, but the Aggies had an answer to both baskets with layups. The Aggies converted a 3-point play, which began an 8-0 run for TAMU. The Hogs took a timeout, up 36-32 with 7:16 left in the third quarter. Out of the break, the Aggies came up with a layup off a steal, but Dauda answered with a tough layup. The Aggies knocked down a triple, but Dauda answered with a layup off an offensive board. TAMU then tied up the game, as they found a break in the defense for a wide-open layup. At the media timeout with 2:43 left in the third quarter, the game was knotted up at 41. The Aggies retook the lead for the first time since the early part of the third quarter, but Spencer quickly answered with a 3-pointer. The Aggies knocked down a triple, but Spencer answered with a 3-point play. With five seconds left in the quarter, TAMU knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer to retake the lead, as the Aggies led 49-48 at the end of the third quarter.

TAMU got on the board first to begin the fourth quarter. Two free throws from Daniels cut the deficit to one, but TAMU went on an 8-2 run to take a seven-point lead, as Arkansas called a timeout down 59-52 with 6:06 left in the game. TAMU extended their lead to nine out of the break with a layup off a steal. Poffenbarger then knocked down a 3-pointer and Spencer made two free throws to cut the deficit to four. Dauda made a 3-pointer, as the Aggies led 63-60 with 3:32 left in the game. Spencer made a jumper and then followed with a triple, which helped the Hogs retook the lead with less than three minutes left. TAMU answered with a 6-0 run to lead 70-65 with 1:10 left in the game. Carly Keats made a layup to cut the deficit to three, and Arkansas took a timeout down 70-67 with 17 seconds left in the game. The Hogs fouled, as the Aggies made one of two free throws to make it a four-point game, but the Hogs missed a 3-pointer and TAMU iced the game with two more made free throws. Arkansas fell 73-67.

HOG HIGHLIGHTS

• Spencer led the game with 24 points for her sixth 20-point game of the year. She was 9-of-18 from the field, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and 4-of-5 from the line. She added three rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal
• Dauda registered 17 points after going 7-fo-12 from the field and 2-of-3 from 3-point. She logged six boards, including four on the offensive end with two assists, two blocks and three steals
• Moving up on the individual season all-time blocks list, Dauda’s two blocks moved her to No. 4 with 67 on the season
• Daniels recorded 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists in 39 minutes
• Poffenbarger logged seven points, nine rebounds, which were all on the defensive end and two blocks. She is now on the all-time top 20 list for blocks in a season with 34 on the season
• Arkansas logged seven blocks and had 32 points in the paint with 13 second-chance points

UP NEXT

Arkansas will host Vanderbilt for Pack for Mak to honor Makayla Daniels’ Senior Day on Sunday, Feb. 25. The game will tipoff at 2 p.m. on SECN+. Senior Day activities will occur after the game.

MORE INFORMATION

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