Warhawks visit for women's home opener

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Tom Collen’s team takes the court for the season opener against Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday afternoon, and the Arkansas Razorbacks seem guaranteed to have their first freshman starter in over three years.

Arkansas tips off with ULM at 1 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the doors of Bud Walton Arena. The game will be broadcast on the Razorback Radio Network stations affiliated with the women’s basketball team.

The game will stream live with audio or video from Bud Walton Arena for members of RazorVision.

The tentative starting lineup for Saturday includes two freshman: Carlisle, Ark., point guard Julie Inman and Hoover, Ala., guard Lyndsay Harris.

“We’re still working on the starting lineup, and this year, I might have a different lineup for each game,” Collen said. “We have a lot of players that can start, and we may try to have situational lineups depending on the opponent.”

Both Arkansas and ULM play their season opener on Saturday, and each used inside power to defeat non-Division I exhibition opponents last week.

Seniors Whitney Jones and Ayana Brereton are set in the starting five for Arkansas.

“Whitney and Ayana might be the only two players that we can pencil in every night due to their experience,” Collen said.

The pregame notes list junior college transfer Ashley McCray as the fifth starter.

Sophomore Shanita Arnold started at the point for Arkansas exhibition with Rogers State, but the Fort Smith, Ark., guard injured her shoulder at the start of this week’s practices.

“Shanita might be able to play on Saturday, but we’ve had to give most of the practice time this week to Julie at the point with Shanita injured,” Collen said.

The Razorbacks bring some impressive streaks into Saturday’s game. Arkansas has never lost to Louisiana-Monroe in eight meetings, and has not lost to a non-conference opponent in the last 23 games.

Arkansas also has a 24-game winning streak in its home opener, losing only one time in the 33 year history of the program on opening day in Fayetteville. That defeat came back in 1982 to defending national champion Louisiana Tech.