Arkansas women knock down Texas Tech
FAYETTEVILLE - One star seldom outshines a balanced opposing team.
And Texas Tech’s star didn’t Saturday. Despite Texas Tech guard Recee Caldwell’s 29 points, the Red Raiders’ women could not surpass the Arkansas Razorbacks women prevailing, 66-60 in a SEC vs. Big 12 Challenge game at Walton Arena.
Coach Jimmy Dykes’ Razorbacks not only boosted SEC prestige but ran their record to 8-0 going into Wednesday night’s game against Butler University at Walton.
“It’s great to be 8-0 and beat a really really good team tonight,” Dykes said. “We only shot 32 percent but the game was decided by us beating them on the glass. We out-rebounded them 52-39 and you can see they are bigger than us. They missed 42 shots and only got eight offensive rebounds.”
Texas Tech, which dropped to 4-3, was pushed out to becoming a perimeter team by Arkansas’ post defense.
Caldwell took 25 of Tech’s 68 shots with the Red Raiders attempting only three free throws, hitting two, while Arkansas shot 12 of 19 from the line.
“We have multiple players that need to make plays and can but we didn’t today,” Texas Tech Coach Candi Whitaker said. “We weren’t aggressive and did not get to the foul line. Caldwell started poorly but she responded to our halftime talk and played with courage the second half. Arkansas has a good team. “
Dykes lauded Caldwell’s performance but also lauded Arkansas’ defense on her.
“We did a really good job making her work for her points.” Dykes said. “I know she scored 29 points but it took 25 shots to get them. Bailey Zimmerman did a good job on her. They had three kids average 18, 16 and 15 and our post defense was really good."
Senior forward Jessica Jackson of Jacksonville led Arkansas with 14 points. Jackson only hit 3 of 16 from the field but persistently pestered the Red Raiders inside to be fouled. She hit 7 of 10 free throws.
Arkansas sophomore point guard Malica Monk of North Little Rock scored 11 points while dishing four assists against zero turnovers.
“Mal’s a very tough, young lady,” Dykes said. “She defends her tail off, takes care of the ball, makes open shots. Eleven points, no turnovers and four assists in 36 minutes in a big-time game like this one … she’s the only true point guard we have so it’s hard to take her out of a game.”
Off the Arkansas bench, freshman guard Aaliyah Wilson, only recently returned from an illness that sidelined her preseason into the early season, scored a career high 11 points with six rebounds. Freshman guard Jailyn Mason was just short of an Arkansas double-double tallying nine points and a team-leading nine rebounds.
Tech forward Terry Jada matched Mason’s nine rebounds and scored 12 points inside and Tech reserve Brittany Brewer also snagged nine rebounds.
Other than an early 9-4 lead. Tech couldn’t control Saturday’s game once Mason’s jumper put Arkansas up 14-13 with 2:51 left in the first quarter. Arkansas led 21-15 going into the second quarter.
Five points was the closest that Tech could draw within of Arkansas during the second quarter. A clutch 3-pointer by Bailey Zimmerman of St. Vincent pulled Arkansas to up eight with the Razorbacks eventually leading 38-26 at intermission.
Caldwell, who hit threes with 1:34 and :49 seconds left in the fourth quarter closed Tech to down 63-57.
Three Arkansas free throws thereafter left Tech six points short when Caldwell hit the last of her 6 of 12 threes with :10 seconds left.