UA women fall
Rennia Davis finished with 33 points and 14 rebounds to lead No. 11 Tennessee past Arkansas 90-85 on Thursday night at Walton Arena in Fayetteville. The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville was outrebounded 45-26. The Lady Volunteers sealed the victory by going 15 of 20 at the freethrow line in the fourth quarter. Devin Cosper led the Razorbacks with 29 points.
NO. 11 TENNESSEE 90, ARKANSAS 85
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas almost escaped Walton Arena with an upset victory over No. 11 Tennessee, but rebounding woes cost the Razorbacks their fifth loss in six games as they lost to the Lady Volunteers 90-85 on Thursday night.
Tennessee outrebounded Arkansas, 45-26, including scoring on two offensive putbacks that gave the Lady Volunteers a seven-point lead with a little over three minutes to play. The Razorbacks would chip at the lead but couldn’t put together another big run to get over the hump before time expired.
“It was certainly our best effort against a quality opponent for sure,” Arkansas Coach Mike Neighbors said. “It hurts that we can’t get rewarded with a big win over a team that has the tradition like a Tennessee.”
After trailing the majority of the way, the Razorbacks made a late push to take a 6867 lead with 7:06 left in the game, opening up the fourth on an 11-0 run before Tennessee’s Evina Westbrook hit two free throws for the Lady Vols’ first points of the quarter.
Senior guard Devin Cosper scored eight of her team-high 29 points during the run. She made two three-pointers with a Tennessee defender in her face to give the momentum back to the Razorbacks for a few minutes.
Despite Tennessee having the rebounding edge, Arkansas managed to stay in the game thanks to a strong shooting night from the threepoint line. The Razorbacks finished shooting 48 percent on three-pointers (11 of 23). Cosper and junior guard Malica Monk (25 points) paced the offense for the Razorbacks, combining for 10 of 13 from behind the arc.
“They had it in them tonight,” Neighbors said. “Them to play like that, in this atmosphere, when we needed them the most, it kind of encapsulates the season they’ve had in one game.”
Arkansas’ zone defense kept Tennessee’s posts from getting an easy look at the basket on many possessions, but the Lady Vols made 39 percent of their three-pointers (9 of 23). They came into the game shooting 31 percent from long range.
Tennessee shot 48 percent overall from the field (31 of 64) and outscored Arkansas 22-12 on second-chance points.
“Our shots were just falling the second half,” said Tennessee freshman forward Reinna Davis, who finished with a game-high 33 points. “I think we took better shots in the second half. We were going inside and then bringing it outside, so it was easier for us to make those shots.”
Arkansas managed to keep Tennessee’s star center Mercedes Russell from doing too much damage in the paint, limiting her to seven points. The defense collapsed on her every time she touched the ball.
Davis was problematic for Arkansas though. She hit 3 three-pointers but did most of her scoring on offensive putbacks and sneaking behind Arkansas’ zone for wide-open layups on the weak side of the basket.
“She just had a hot hand, and you really can’t stop a shooter when they’re doing that,” Cosper said.
Arkansas also struggled from the free-throw line, shooting 63 percent while Tennessee made more of its opportunities from the line, shooting 76 percent.
OTHER TOP 25 WOMEN’S GAMES
Roshunda Johnson scored 22 points, Teaira McCowan notched her 17th double-double of the season and No. 2 Mississippi State (25-0, 11-0 SEC) remained undefeated with a 98-50 victory at Florida (10-14, 2-9). … A’ja Wilson scored 21 points and had nine rebounds to lead No. 7 South Carolina (19-5, 8-3 SEC) to a 79-66 victory at Alabama (14-10, 4-7). … Kaila Charles had 19 points and 11 rebounds to help No. 10 Maryland (21-3, 10-1 Big Ten) beat Michigan State (14-11, 4-8) 7668 in East Lansing, Mich. … Shakayla Thomas scored 20 points, A.J. Alix added 17 and No. 12 Florida State (20-4, 8-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) turned back Virginia (15-9, 8-3) 77-62 in Tallahassee. … Kelsey Mitchell scored 28 points to lead No. 13 Ohio State (20-5, 9-3 Big Ten Conference) to a 90-68 victory over Rutgers (18-8, 6-6) in Columbus, Ohio. … Chennedy Carter scored 20 of her 26 points in the first half when No. 14 Texas A&M (19-6, 8-3 SEC) held Mississippi (11-13, 1-11) to 13 in an 83-54 victory at College Station. … Sophie Cunningham scored 29 points on 8-of-10 shooting, Cierra Porter had a double-double and No. 15 Missouri (19-5, 7-4 SEC) held off Kentucky (12-13, 4-7) 83-78 at Columbia, Mo. … Taja Cole had 11 points, 7 assists and a career-high 5 steals, and No. 18 Georgia (21-3, 9-2 SEC) turned back Vanderbilt (6-19, 2-9) 67-55 in Athens. … Katelynn Flaherty scored 36 points, making nine three-pointers, and No. 21 Michigan (20-6, 9-4) snapped a two-game skid with an 84-63 victory over visiting Northwestern (9-16, 2-9). … Keyanna Harris scored nine of her 17 points in the fourth quarter to help Miami (17-7, 7-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) upset No. 23 North Carolina State (19-6, 8-4) 52-48 in Coral Gables, Fla.