WBB Preview: Arkansas vs. Florida

FAYETTEVILLE – The Razorback women’s basketball team (9-14, 2-6 SEC) ends its two-game home stand on Monday night and face Florida (11-11, 2-6). Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on SEC Network with Tiffany Greene (play-by-play) and Steffi Sorensen (analyst) on the call.

Arkansas is coming off a 72-51 win over Texas A&M on Thursday night. The Gators are riding a four-game losing streak into Fayetteville, most recently losing to No. 23 Vanderbilt 99-86.

Game Info

Opponent: Florida (11-11, 2-6 SEC)
Tipoff: 
6:00 p.m. CT
TV/Streaming: 
SEC Network
Radio: 
Listen | RSN Affiliates
Live Stats: 
Click here

Arkansas
Head Coach: Mike Neighbors
Record at Arkansas: 147-106 (8th season)
Career Record: 245-147 (12th)
Leading Scorer: Izzy Higginbottom (23.6 PPG)
Leading Rebounder: Vera Ojenuwa (7.1 RPG)

Florida
Head Coach: Kelly Rae Finley
Record at Florida: 67-53 (4th season)
Career Record: Same
Leading Scorer: Liv McGill (16.0 PPG)
Leading Rebounder: Ra Shaya Collins (9.3 RPG)

Game Notes

  • This is the 45th all-time meeting between Florida and Arkansas. The Gators lead it 31-13. The Razorbacks and Florida last met on Feb. 8, 2024 in Gainesville where the Gators won 85-81.
  • Izzy Higginbottom has cemented herself as one of the best scorers in the NCAA through the first 23 games and ranks No. 5 in the country and first in the SEC in points per game (23.6) ahead of Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes (22.4). She has been the Hogs’ leading scorer in 18 games (Fairfield, Little Rock, UTA, UCLA, ORU, OSU, BGSU, BC, TTU, LIB, Troy, UCA, LSU, Texas, AUB, TEN, KEN, A&M) this season
  • She also leads the team and ranks second in the SEC in FT%, going 159-178 (.893) from the charity stripe. Higginbottom leads the SEC and ranks fourth in the NCAA in FTA (178) and leads the SEC and ranks No. 2 in the NCAA with 159 FTM. She’s been perfect from the line in eight games (ETA&M, LR, UCLA, BGSU, SEMO, LU, Troy, LSU, VAN) this season.
  • In total points, Higginbottom ranks second in the NCAA and first in the SEC with 543 points, 18 behind South Dakota’s Grace Larkins
  • Higginbottom exploded for a career-high 38 points against Boston College, the most points by a Razorback since Chelsea Dungee dropped 41 against Auburn in 2019.
  • With the 38 points from the BC game and 18 points against SEMO, Higginbottom was named Co-SEC Player of the Week.
  • With 26 points against Tennessee, Higginbottom had 19 straight games in double figures and is the first Hog to accomplish the feat since Amber Ramirez did it in 2021-22. The streak ended after Higginbottom scored just five points against No. 19 Alabama on Jan. 19.
  • Higginbottom is tied for the second most 25+ point games in the NCAA (11 games) with South Dakota’s Grace Larkins.
  • Izzy picked up her second 30+ point game of the season after she dropped 36 points at Auburn on Jan. 9. It’s tied for the second most points in an SEC game so far this season. It’s also the sixith most by a Razorback player in an SEC game and the most since Erynn Barnum scored 37 points against Ole Miss.
  • Against No. 11 Kentucky, Higginbottom scored 32 points on the Wildcats and followed it up with a 33-point performance against Texas A&M on Jan. 30
  • Sophomore guard Kiki Smith has established herself as a consistent scoring threat for Arkansas. The Topeka, Kan. native has 10+ points in 11 of 21 games and has started every appearance this season.
  • Smith paced Arkansas with 22 points in its first win of the season against East Texas A&M.  She went 8-9 from FG and the lone miss was in the fourth quarter. Against Alabama, Smith scored a season and game high 23 points, going 8-15 from FG and 4-9 from 3.
  • From beyond the arc, Kiki ranks ninth in the SEC and 90th in the NCAA with 47 3s
  • Freshman Phoenix Stotijn made her long awaited debut against Texas Tech. The Dutch native settled in in the second half and shot 3-6 from three and converted her lone free throw attempt. Stotijn finished with 12 points and played just over 20 minutes.
  • Vera Ojenuwa ranks No. 9 in the SEC with 163 rebounds.
  • The Hogs also added former Razorback soccer player Ella Rogers to the roster. Rogers, a Granville, Ohio native, was a first-team all district and first-team all-league guard for Granville High School.

For more information on Arkansas women’s basketball, follow @RazorbackWBB on social media.