FAYETTEVILLE — College of Arkansas women’s basketball Mentor Mike Neighbors does not believe he has to worry about his team’s focus for tonight’s SEC match in Athens, Ga.
The No. 15 Razorbacks (11-5, 2-4 SEC) produced countrywide headlines final 7 days with their hastily scheduled video game in opposition to 11-time countrywide winner Connecticut in Walton Arena on Thursday afternoon.
They initial experience No. 22 Georgia (12-2, 4-2) at 6 p.m. in Stegeman Coliseum with the match broadcast on the SEC Community. Considering the Girl Bulldogs defeated Arkansas 64-55 final period in Fayetteville, they will have the Razorbacks’ full focus, Neighbors explained.
“Georgia’s usually presented us fits,” Neighbors mentioned. “They have bought the formula of really, seriously excellent defenders on the ball and bigs they can funnel them to and block shots and cause difficulties all-around the basket.
“If it had been a various opponent we coulda received caught in that possibly. I”d have been a tiny bit far more anxious about it, but because Georgia has beaten us the very last time we played and they’re participating in very well this 12 months.”
Arkansas, which has not received in Athens given that 2009, is coming off a 104-82 reduction at No. 4 South Carolina previous Monday. The Razorbacks stayed near for most of 3 quarters ahead of the Gamecocks pulled absent.
This will be the sixth ranked opponent for the Razorbacks this year and that won’t consist of Tennessee, which was not in the Leading 25 when the Razorbacks played the Woman Vols but has due to the fact broken into the poll. There are also at this time 7 SEC groups ranked in The Associated Push poll.
“The league is as deep as it is been considering the fact that probably the late 90s,” Neighbors reported. “I could make a circumstance for 10 groups to get in the NCAA Match this calendar year, likely.”
The Bulldogs held Arkansas to 32% capturing, which includes 3 of 16 from 3-level range, in their earn in Fayetteville very last 12 months. The Razorbacks will never overlook that, Neighbors mentioned.
“We felt like they experienced wholly taken us out of what we do,” Neighbors mentioned. “Young ones have a brief-phrase memory when it comes to specified points, but they have acquired the potential to keep in mind how items felt.”
Senior Chelsea Dungee has begun league enjoy on a tear and potential customers the league with a 25.2 stage for every-video game ordinary in SEC enjoy. The 5-11 guard has also designed a league-best 15 3-pointers.
The Razorbacks and the Bulldogs have a single matter in frequent. Both equally groups had been crushed soundly lately by the Gamecocks and dominated by 6-5 sophomore Aliyah Boston. She had a double-double by halftime and finished with 26 factors, 16 rebounds and 6 blocked pictures against Arkansas, but managed a triple-double (16-11-10) against Georgia on Thursday.
Ga was supposed to be coming off an open date like Arkansas but had its recreation from South Carolina postponed earlier in the period mainly because of covid-19 concerns within the Gamecocks’ software. That could play in the Razorbacks’ favor considering that they are effectively-rested, Neighbors reported.
The emergence offensively of senior guard Que Morrison is a single explanation why Ga is a greater workforce this time, Neighbor mentioned.
Morrison was chosen to the SEC All-Defensive staff a 12 months ago, but she’s averaging 10 factors a game this 12 months to go with becoming a lock-down defender.
“Now you gotta guard this kid,” Neighbors mentioned. “Employed to you might be equipped to double-team off her and not return as swiftly. I assume that speaks to her maturity.”
Jenna Staiti, a 6-4 senior, has also been reliable offensively and defensively for the Bulldogs. She qualified prospects the staff in scoring (14.3) and rebounding (7.5), but also ranks second in the league in blocked pictures (2.7) guiding Boston and sixth in area objective percentage (52.5%).
Managing Georgia’s large centre will be a essential for Arkansas, in accordance to Neighbors.
“We have acquired to make her rating about us, not all around us, and a minor little bit even more out than she wants to,” Neighbors said.
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No. 15 Arkansas at No. 22 Ga
In which Stegeman Coliseum, Athens, Ga.
WHEN 6 p.m. Central now
Data Arkansas 11-5, 2-4 SEC Georgia 12-2, 4-2
Collection Ga leads 35-6
RADIO Razorback Sporting activities Network
World-wide-web ArkansasRazorbacks.com
Television SEC Community
ARKANSAS
POS. Identify, HT, YRPPGRPG
G Destiny Slocum, 5-7, Sr.15.43.7
G Chelsea Dungee, 5-11, Sr.21.43.7
G Amber Ramirez, 5-9, Sr.12.32.7
G Makayla Daniels, 5-8, So.13.13.2
F Taylah Thomas, 6-1, Sr.5.16.3
Coach Mike Neighbors (70-46 in fourth year at Arkansas)
Georgia
POS. Name, HT, YRPPGRPG
G Gabby Connally, 5-6, Sr.8.33.7
G Que Morrison, 5-7, Sr.10.15.1
G Maya Caldwell, 5-11, Sr.7.42.6
F Jordan Isaacs, 6-, So.4.42.7
C Jenna Staiti, 6-4, Sr.14.37.5
Coach Joni Taylor (110-60 in sixth season at Tennessee)
Group COMPARISON
ArkansasGeorgia
86.2Details for74.4
74.4Details towards57.1
-5.4Rebound margin+6.5
+7.6Turnover margin+2.6
44.0FG pct.45.5
37.83-pt FG pct.35.
73.2FT pct.74.8
CHALK Communicate The Girl Bulldogs have missing just two times to Arkansas in 19 games in Athens, Ga. … Arkansas hasn’t received at Georgia since Feb. 8, 2009, a string of eight straight losses. … The Razorbacks dropped to No. 17 in the Usa Right now Coaches Poll this 7 days and at this time are rated 28th in the Net rankings.
Paul Boyd can be arrived at at pboyd@nwadg.com or on Twitter @NWAPaulb.
