Malvern grad paces Arkansas past UTA
FAYETTEVILLE — Malvern’s Raven Northcross-Baker led Arkansas with a career high
22 points, including 6 of 8 threes, as the Razorbacks routed the University of Texas-Arlington Mavericks, 91-57, before 1,102 fans Sunday afternoon at Bud Walton Arena.
Arkansas senior guard Malica Monk, of North Little Rock, scored 20 and dished six assists, and guard Jailyn Mason dealt seven assists and scored 15 points while improving Arkansas to 8-3 going into Thursday’s game at Arizona State, an SEC vs. Pac-12 matchup in Tempe, Ariz.
Eight of Baker’s 10 first-half points off-the-bench came in the second quarter when the Razorbacks popped a 14-12 first-quarter lead into an insurmountable
37-24 halftime bulge. UT-Arlington did cut it to eight during the third quarter, but got left in the dust outscored, 39-13 for the game’s duration.
“I think this team is one those teams like a great racehorse sometimes that kind of needs to see that opponent running with them,” coach Mike Neighbors said of his Razorbacks. “It seems we need to take a body blow or a shot to the jaw to get us going. UTA got excited and we got excited right back and dominated the last 15 minutes of the game.”
If his Razorbacks became a racehorse, then junior transfer Northcross-Baker from Chipola (Fla.) Community College became the cracking whip down both the first half and second half stretches.
“We saw it in the preseason exhibition game (Norcross-Baker’s 17 points in an 82-74 Nov. 2 victory over Northeastern State), and we’ve seen it in practice more times than not, but she is streaky,” Neighbors said.
“But if she can get one or two to go, and she starts feeling good and she has that follow through a little extra longer, then you start running plays for her and teammate start looking to find her.”
Northcross-Baker said she found her shot because her teammates found her after she first connected with them with two of her three assists.
“My teammates having confidence in me all season and telling me to shoot, and tonight it was falling, and they kept finding me,” Northcross-Baker said. “Tonight, I started off with two assists. I knew it was going to be a good night because I was finding my teammates, and I knew they were going to find me. The thing I really hound myself about is defensive intensity. If I can help us going with defensive intensity then we are going to knock down some shots eventually.”
A reserve emerging like Northcross-Baker often nets a next game start, but first-year Arkansas coach Neighbors said his first-ever Arkansas signee is most valuable as the off-thebench energizer.
“It’s a very valuable and commendable role to play, and she’s
accepted it,” Neighbors said. “I would love to be able to keep her coming off the bench.
It’s a role that not everyone can fulfill, but Raven just goes about doing her business. She’s the ultimate Arkansan team player. She loves the Razorbacks, and I’m happy for her to get a moment like that.”
Monk also scored 10 in the first half. Her drives to the basket persistently induced Mavericks fouls, which she capitalized upon, hitting a perfect dozen for a dozen free throw attempts.
Arkansas hit an astounding
19 of 21 free throws compared to UTA’s 10 of 16 and, paced by Northcross-Baker’s half-dozen treys, outscored UT-Arlington
36-9 on 3-pointers at 12 of 28 to the Mavericks’ 3 of 15.
Keiryn Swenson, impressing Neighbors with “moving the ball for those hockey assists, the pass before the pass that assists,” scored 10 for Arkansas with five rebounds. Kiara Williams’ eight rebounds led Arkansas surprisingly considerably outboarding the taller Mavericks, 40-27.
UT-Arlington did have three scoring in double figures. Rebekah VanDijk scored 14, Shelby Richards scored 12 and Laurynn McGowen tallied 10.