Razorbacks roll in season opener

ARKANSAS 98, NORTHWESTERN STATE 53

FAYETTEVILLE — Alexis Tolefree air-balled a 3-point shot with 3 minutes, 25 seconds remaining in the game; she looked at her Arkansas teammates and laughed before getting back on defense.

After hitting five triples prior to that, the junior guard from Conway didn’t take the miss too seriously in what was a dominant 98-53 victory over Northwestern State in the season opener in Bud Walton Arena on Friday.

“This is what I dreamed of since I was in seventh grade, being able to put the Razorback jersey on,” Tolefree said. “It’s a big deal to me. Every game is gonna be me going hard.”

Tolefree finished with 19 points on 5 of 11 shooting that included a 50-percent mark from behind the arc. She led seven Razorbacks who scored in double figures, the most to do so in a single game in program history.

“We took good shots,” said Mike Neighbors, Arkansas’ second-year coach. “Seven people in double figures … I only remember doing that one time in Temco basketball back on Nintendo when I had it. That’s great balance.”

While Arkansas’ offense often relied on Malica Monk to put up video game-like numbers last year to stay in games, the guard play of Tolefree, sophomore Chelsea Dungee and sophomore A’Tyanna Gaulden have shown glimpses of high-volume scoring ability.

“We give Mal fresh legs when I come in and help her out,” Gaulden said after pouring in 16 points of her own. “Mal is doing very good, and then I come in and help her roll.”

The season-opening game featured the program’s ninth-annual “Elementary Day” promotion that gives local kids a chance to attend the game, and the combination of missing school and watching the Hogs energized the big crowd before the game even started.

The record event made for one of the loudest contests the Hogs will play all season.

“It was incredibly loud,” Neighbors said. “I remember four or five times when you couldn’t hear the whistle, and I’ve never been in a women’s basketball gym when that happened.”

TIP-INS

■ Arkansas’ announced attendance was 5,497, which marked a record crowd for the program’s annual “Elementary Day” game.

■ With her 12-point performance, Malica Monk scored in double figures in all four

season-opening games she played in as a Razorback. She also had three assists and two steals.

■ The Razorbacks’ 98-point scoring output gives them a whopping 104.6-point average in two exhibitions and one regular season game.

UP NEXT

The Razorbacks will travel to Arlington, Texas, to play UT-Arlington on Nov. 14. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.

SUN BELT WOMEN UALR 69, LOUISIANA TECH 58

Junior guard Kyra Collier scored a career-high 31 points to lead the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to a season-opening victory over Louisiana Tech on Friday at the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, La.

Collier is the first UALR player to score 30 or more points in a game since Taylor Gault scored 31 against Oral Roberts on Nov. 21, 2012. She got off to a hot start, scoring the first four points for the Trojans and finishing the first quarter with 10 of UALR’s 19 points. She had 12 points in the first half as the Trojans held a 35-22 halftime lead.

The Lady Techsters scored 20 points in the third quarter on 46.7 percent shooting while holding the Trojans to 8 points on 27.3 percent shooting to take a 48-43 lead after the third quarter. Louisiana Tech extended its lead to 51-44 early in the fourth quarter before UALR turned up its defensive pressure. Collier’s 21st point tied the game at 5151 with 7:02 left and she would go on to score 10 of the Trojans’ 18 points in a game-ending 18-7 run.

Sun Belt Conference preseason Player of the Year Ronjanae DeGray scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Trojans. Kierra Anthony led the Lady Techsters with 21 points.

OKLAHOMA STATE 62, ARKANSAS STATE 60

Arkansas State University nearly erased a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter on Friday as the Red Wolves fell to Oklahoma State at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla.

Oklahoma State led 54-38 with 5:15 left, but a 9-0 ASU run over the next 2 1/2 minutes cut the lead to 54-47. The Red Wolves worked the deficit down to 61-60 after Jordan Elder was fouled on a three-point attempt and made all three free throws with six seconds to go.

The Red Wolves fouled on the ensuing possession and Jaden Hobbs made one of two free throws to give ASU a chance to win or send the game to overtime, but time expired before a shot could be taken.

Jireh Washington led Arkansas State with 15 points and 6 rebounds, Lycia Peevy scored 13 points and Peyton Martin finished with 10. Akasha Westbrook tied a career high with 11 rebounds to go with 6 points and 4 steals.

Braxtin Miller scored a game-high 23 points for Oklahoma State, while Latashia Jones added 10 points and 21 rebounds, including 10 offensive rebounds.