WBB Preview: Arkansas vs. UAPB
FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas women’s basketball (3-0) will face UA-Pine Bluff (1-2), its first in-state opponent of the season, on Thursday night in Bud Walton Arena.
Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on SEC Network+ with Brett Dolan (play-by-play) and Matt Zimmerman (analyst) on the call.
LAST TIME OUT
Arkansas improved to 2-0 on the season with an 89-59 win over Northwestern State in front of 12,370 fans on Elementary Day last Friday. Senior guard Emily Robinson led all scorers with 18 points and freshman guard and Arkansas native Whitley Rogers turned in her first big game with 16 points. The Hogs won the rebounding battle, 51-35, and grabbed 27 offensive boards, the most in a game since at least 2004. The Razorbacks forced 34 turnovers after setting a program record last game when they forced 51 against LSU New Orleans.
ON THE LADY LIONS
UAPB started the season with a pair of road losses at Texas A&M (77-54) and at Tarleton State (66-47) and picked up its first win on Monday against Arkansas Baptist 84-50. Last season, the Golden Lions finished 15–16 overall and 10–8 in SWAC play, placing among the top five teams in the conference standings. UAPB advanced to the semifinals of the SWAC Women’s Basketball Tournament.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Arkansas and UAPB will meet for the sixth time. All six meetings have taken place in this decade, with the Hogs owning a 4-1 advantage in the all-time series. The lone loss came in 2023 in Fayetteville 74-70. UAPB returned to Fayetteville last season, a 101-49 win for Arkansas on Elementart Day.
HISTORIC OPENER
Arkansas smashed program records for highest-scoring game (127) and turnovers forced (51) in its 127-48 win over LSU New Orleans in the season opener on Nov. 2. The previous points and turnovers records stood since 1987 and 1990, respectively. The 79-point win tied the program record for largest margin of victory. The Hogs’ 127 points were the second most nationally on opening night (behind LSU’s 129) and the 11th most by an SEC team all-time. Arkansas’ 64 first-half points were one point shy of tying the program’s record for most points in a first half. The Razorbacks’ 71 bench points were their most in a game since at least 2008 and the most in a game by any team in DI this season. The 68 points from turnovers were their most in a game since at least 2009. The next closest was 38 in a game in 2010. Arkansas’ 27 steals were their third-most in a game since 1982 and their most since 2004, when they had 28 against Centenary. The Razorbacks’ 28 assists were their most in a game since 2013, when they had 29 against Ole Miss. The Hogs’ 26 offensive rebounds were the most in a game since 2018. Prestridge became the first Arkansas freshman since at least 2002 to record a double-double in their collegiate debut. She was one of 11 freshmen nationally to record a double-double in their first game and one of two in the SEC joining LSU’s ZaKiyah Johnson.
NEW SQUAD
Arkansas added 12 new players to the roster: 7 transfers and 5 freshmen. Transfers include Ayianna Johnson (Colorado-Colorado Springs), Grace McCallop (Cal), Jianna Morris (Louisiana Tech), Kateri Poole (Houston), D’Asia Thomas-Harris (Georgia Tech), Daniah Trammell (Arizona) and Beautiful Waheed (St. John’s).
Freshmen include Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year Kyiah Prestridge, Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year Whitley Rogers, Arkansas native Allannah Orsby, and Europeans Julija Matic and Adriana Reijnen.
For more information on Arkansas women’s basketball, follow @RazorbackWBB on social media.
