Strong second half paces UA victory

FAYETTEVILLE — After getting worked over on the boards and shooting a paltry 29 percent from the floor, Arkansas used a little more effort and some timely shooting to come away with a 73-72 win over Charlotte on Thursday night in Bud Walton Arena.

Senior Devin Cosper scored 16 of her game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter, including a huge 3-pointer with less than a minute left that gave the Razorbacks a two possession lead.

But Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors said there were some simple changes that made the difference in the second half for his team. The Razorbacks (6-3) were out-rebounded 34-16 in the first half, but enjoyed a 2924 advantage in the final two quarters.

“Super, super proud of our ability at halftime to get some things fixed,” said Neighbors,

whose team trailed 37-30 at halftime and led only a a couple of times. “It wasn’t a lot. It was play a little bit harder and have a little more attention to detail. Clean up some easy things and I thought in the second half we played really good.”

Still, Charlotte (3-6) took a 64-63 lead on a layup by Octavia Wilson with 2 minutes, 16 seconds left. But Arkansas responded with a 7-0 spurt punctuated by Cosper’s 3-pointer on a kick-out from Malica Monk to lead 70-64 with 53 seconds left.

Jailyn Mason made two free throws with less than a second left to give the Razorbacks a four-point lead, which was necessary since Amaya Ransom hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Monk and Mason were also in double figures for Arkansas with 15 and 12 points, respectively. Cosper put up another double-double with 25 points and a team-high 14 rebounds, while sophomore Kiara Williams was close with nine points, 12 rebounds

and four steals.

Neighbors said Cosper got the Razorbacks going in the second half.

“Dev didn’t start yelling at anybody or say ‘Come on.’ She just quietly went on and continued to do her business. I thought tonight was a big step for Dev because she hit that big shot. We’ve been missing those. Not just her, but everybody and tonight we hit one. When we really needed that three in transition that made it a two-possession game. So that’s some progress there.”

Guard Laia Raventos led the 49ers with 17 points, while Jaida Robins added 15 and Ransom 14. Dara Pearson, a 6-2 sophomore, also finished with a game-high 19 rebounds, including 12 in the first half.

Charlotte coach Cara Consuegra said this game was similar to a few others this season as her young team wasn’t able to close.

“I felt like we put ourselves in position to win the game and then it was just little plays down the stretch that they were tougher than us,” Consuegra said. “We’re a young team. This is our fourth game

where we’ve been in the game and just couldn’t finish. There were two loose balls in the last two minutes that they got. Offensive rebounds that they got that were the difference in the game.

“I thought (Cosper) had a great game. Most of the second half in our huddles was all about trying to contain her better. We did not do a good job of that in the second half.”

Conseugra also acknowledged Arkansas just made more effort in the second half to rebound better.

“I can’t say that we were necessarily boxing out that great. I just thought they made a better effort in the second half. We just didn’t do a good enough job of adjusting on our end and continuing to box out.”

Arkansas continues its homestand by hosting Tulsa at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

ARKANSAS 73, CHARLOTTE 72

Charlotte .......... 18 19 12 23 — 72 Arkansas .......... 14 16 19 24 — 73 Charlotte (3-6): Raventos 17, Robinson 15, Ransom 14, Jamison-Myers 8, Harley 7, Pearson 6, Wilson 5. Arkansas (6-3): Cosper 25, Monk 15, Mason 12, Williams 9, Zimmerman 6, Northcross-Baker 3, Swenson 3.

Three-Point Goals: Charlotte 5-13, Arkansas 9-31. Rebounds: Charlotte 58, Arkansas 45, Turnovers: Charlotte 17, Arkansas 10. Technical Fouls: None Officials: Bobb Trammell, Felicia Grinter, Jesse Dickerson.

Attendance: 1,169.