Razorbacks fall to Alabama
FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas women’s basketball team (17-6, 4-4 SEC), fell short to Alabama (16-5, 6-3 SEC) on Thursday night, 69-66, as the Razorbacks dropped its third straight game. Makayla Daniels tied the game with a 3-pointer with 33 seconds left in the game, but Alabama’s Hannah Barber hit a go-ahead 3-pointer to pull ahead by three and win the game. Arkansas committed 20 turnovers in the game, which looked to be the deciding factor in the game. Erynn Barnum led the Razorbacks with 20 points and nine rebounds.
Alabama got things started with a 3-pointer, but Saylor Poffenbarger responded with one of her own, which started an 8-0 run for the Razorbacks in less than a minute. Alabama was in a scoring drought for over two minutes but dug out with a layup. That basket initiated a 10-3 run for the Crimson Tide, which elevated Alabama ahead, 13-11, at the media timeout. Arkansas was held in a scoring drought for the remaining 6:50 of the quarter, while the Razorbacks shot 0-for-10 from the field and committed five turnovers that span. Alabama added five unanswered points, as Arkansas’ struggles from the field continued, and Alabama led 18-11.
The Tide continued to score, getting a layup off a Razorback turnover. Barnum broke the Razorbacks’ nearly eight-minute scoring drought with a layup. After another Barnum layup, Alabama extended its lead with a triple to lead Arkansas 27-15 with 5:16 left in the first half. Daniels got fouled on the basket and knocked down two free throws to put it back to a 10-point game. At the media timeout, Alabama led 27-17. Barnum broke another long-extended field goal drought for the Razorbacks, three minutes and some change, with a layup. That layup sparked a 6-0 run for the Razorbacks to inch within six of the Tide with 3:15 remaining in the second quarter. Samara Spencer nailed a 3-pointer for her first field goal of the game to break another drought for Arkansas from the field, but Alabama responded with another triple to lead 36-26 with less than a minute left in the half. Arkansas scored four unanswered points in the final minute to trail 36-30 at the half.
Barnum made her way to double digits in scoring for the seventh straight game with a jumper and after a Chrissy Carr 3-pointer and a Spencer layup off a steal, Arkansas took the lead for the first time since over six minutes left in the first quarter. That run sparked Alabama to take a timeout, as the Razorbacks now led 3736 with 8:24 left in the third quarter. Alabama sparked a 5-3 run to steal the lead from the Razorbacks, 41-39, at the media timeout.
The Tide made three of their next basket attempts, but after a Maryam Dauda 3-point play, the Razorbacks trailed by two. The Razorbacks cruised on a 7-0 run, which was capped off by a Spencer 3-pointer to retake the lead, 50-49, temporarily until the Tide made two free throws, and it was a 51-50 game in favor of Alabama heading into the final quarter.
Poffenbarger scored the Razorbacks’ first basket of the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer. The Razorbacks took a timeout before the media, and with 7:21 left in the game, Arkansas was behind 55-53.