FTs enable Arkansas to squeak by
FAYETTEVILLE — Malica Monk’s free throw with 11.5 seconds remaining broke a tie game, and Devin Cosper added two more from the line with 4.3 seconds left as the Arkansas women slipped past Vanderbilt, 59- 56, on Thursday night at Walton Arena.
Monk had tied the game 56- 56 when she hit a free throw with 1: 29 remaining, but both teams missed opportunities before the sophomore hit the first of two at the line to give Arkansas a 57- 56 lead. Vanderbilt called timeout, but an errant pass led to a jump ball, giving Arkansas possession with 5.7 seconds left.
The Commodores quickly fouled Cosper, who made both free throws to set the final margin. Vanderbilt’s Rachel Bell launched a three- pointer before the buzzer that hit the backboard.
Arkansas ( 13- 6, 2- 4 SEC) entered the fourth quarter trailing 48- 41 but held Vanderbilt ( 10- 9, 0- 6) to two field goals over the final 10 minutes and scoreless in the final 2: 56.
“It was the same kind of finish we had last year,” Arkansas Coach Jimmy Dykes said. “If there is a better team that is 0- 6 in their league, I don’t know who it is.”
Cosper’s three- pointer with 6: 04 remaining gave the Razorbacks a 52- 51 lead, their first since early in the third quarter. Vanderbilt used baskets by Minta Spears and Marqu’es Webb to take a 56- 53 lead with 2: 56 left.
Alecia Cooley scored inside to pull Arkansas within a point at 56- 55 with 2: 23 remaining before Monk’s tying free throw.
Jailyn Mason had 17 points and Cosper 11 to lead Arkansas.
All- SEC forward Jessica Jackson came off the bench and scored 6 points on 3- of- 11 shooting in 29 minutes. The 6- 3 senior and the team’s leading scorer sat out the Razorbacks’ 68- 50 victory at Alabama on Sunday for what Dykes called, “a one- game decision not to play her based upon what I know she’s capable of doing.”
Christa Reed had 12 points for Vanderbilt, which suffered its eighth consecutive loss, while Bell scored 11 and Webb added 10 to go with 11 rebounds.