After Dropping Two Straight, Hogs Down Missouri for Big Win
Arkansas needed to play well, but may have needed a win more.
Mike Neighbors looked relieved after an 83-73 win over Missouri on Sunday afternoon that finally looked the way he wants this team to look.
"People talk about all wins are the same, but they're not," he said later. "For us to have been where we're at, facing that situation to respond that way just made for a really proud coach."
The Razorbacks had opened SEC play with a loss to No. 7 Tennessee, then went on the road, stumbled at the start and lost.
Apparently it led to some soul-searching on the way back from Nashville. They carried the results of that talking into practices and the game against the Tigers.
"That is a sign we're growing up," Neighbors said. "We took some punches and learned some valuable lessons.
"We got some things fixed ... not everything. We've still got a lot of work to do but that was one of our best efforts of the season."
It was probably their most complete game of the season.
The Hogs hit 11 three-pointers at a 40 percent clip, shot 43 percent from the field and only turned the ball over twice. That was the fewest ever in a game in program history.
"I think it had something to do with our preparation," Neighbors said. "The way we broke down our offense the last two days, we worked on it from the jump ball instead of the dead ball."
Credit goes to assistant coach Todd Schaefer for the offensive part. Plus, as Neighbors said, he got the ball in the right player's hand at the right time.
Amber Ramirez was the leading scorer with 21 points, including an 11-of-12 effort at the free-throw line. It was the first time an Arkansas player had done that since Chelsea Dungee against Ole Miss last year (14-of-17).
Hogs' Rylee Langerman came off the bench to hit five three-pointers as part of her 17 points against Missouri.
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Rylee Langerman had a huge impact coming off the bench to score 17 points with five three-pointers.
One of the things they may have fixed was the slow starts. Against Missouri, the Hogs jumped out to a 19-12 lead at the end of the first period and ended the first half hitting over 52 percent from the field (46 percent of three-pointers).
The Hogs built a 17-point halftime lead and the Tigers never got closer than eight after that.
Makayla Daniels scored 17 points against the Tigers and pulled down eight rebounds.
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Hogs' Highlights
• Langerman’s six made field goals and five made threes were both career-bests.
• Ramirez surpassed 1,000 career points with the Razorbacks with a stepback three-pointer in the fourth quarter.
• Freshman Jersey Wolfenbarger returned to double-figures, scoring 11 points. She also grabbed five boards.
• Makayla Daniels did it all in this one – she scored 17 points, pulled down a team-best eight boards, dished a team-best four assists and nabbed a team-best two steals.
Sasha Goforth had 10 points and three blocked shots against Missouri on Sunday afternoon.
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Next game
The road doesn't get easier.
Top-ranked South Carolina comes to town next Sunday, assuming the Hogs don't get a game during the week, which remains a possibility with the opener against Ole Miss cancelled.
The Hogs will play the Gamecocks at 2:30 p.m. and the game will be on ESPN2.