Season of Taliah: One Five-Star Recruit Replaces Another This Time
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The unbridled enthusiasm from bunch of kids came into play on Elementary Day for Arkansas. With roughly three seconds left in the game, Murray State attempted to call a timeout, but the deafening sounds of screaming children prevented the officials from granting it, staving off the Racers in an 82-79 win.
There were 11,026, the fourth largest in Bud Walton Arena history for a Razorbacks women's game. "The crowd helped us in a number of ways throughout the game," Mike Neighbors said later. "It was definitely deafening at times in there."
Murray State wouldn't quit. Despite trailing by as much as 24 in the third quarter, the lead slowly began to shrink as the Racers caught fire from deep. Three triples from Haven Ford, all in the quarter saw the lead shaved to just 68-55. The lead continued to dissipate, as Murray State threatened to pull off an epic comeback for the ages, continuing to knock down shots from beyond the arc, going 9-for-16 from deep in the second half.
Taliah Scott, fresh off her record 29 points in her debut. provide a much-needed boost for the Hogs, scoring the first six Razorback points in the final stanza. The Racers just kept coming with the hot hand from deep. This time it was Cayson Conner off an offensive rebound followed by a wing triple from Briley Pena that suddenly trimmed the advantage to 78-72 with 4:57 left to play.
"We're kind of learning each other playing in the games," guard Saylor Poffenbarger said. "You're going to practice preseason and go through it and feel one way, but when you come out in the game, it's a total different feel."
The kids in attendance were a perfect symbolism for the youth that is taking over the team in Neighbors' seventh season with the Hogs. Scott followed with an encore to her 29 points in the opener Tuesday for a team-leading 25 points.
For the second game in a row, the Hogs started slowly. In the first quarter, the Razorbacks struggled in all facets of shooting. After finishing the season opener 5-for-30 from beyond the arc, they started shooting 5-for-19 from the field and just 4-for-8 from the line but found themselves behind 17-16 after 10 minutes.
All the preseason talk was about the loss of former five-star recruit Jersey Wolfenbarger. Scott, a five-star recruit of her own, took over in the second quarter and showed early signs the Razorbacks might be okay.
For the first time this season, the Hogs found their range from the field. They made eight of their first nine shots and finished the period 65 percent from the floor. Scott went a perfect 5-for-5 and finished with 17 points as the teams headed back to the locker room, while Samara Spencer and Poffenbarger took over passing duties, finishing the half with five assists. The Razorbacks ended the half on an 11-2 run capped off by a triple from Carly Keats and took a 47-31 lead into intermission. Poffenbarger also followed her 21 rebounds on opening night with 12 more boards, including critical ones down the stretch to secure the win.
The break did little to slow down the Hogs, who continued to run the floor with pace and started the second half with three straight layups, leading to an 8-0 run to start the third period, but the deterioration began from there. Murray State outscored the Razorbacks 48-27 in the second half once the Hogs got the 24-point lead.
"I told everybody," Neighbors said. "I was a little stubborn, maybe a little bit too long. Again, one possession worth of stubbornness of letting us play through some things. I hadn't called a timeout, I wanted to see where we were at. I need to see, do we have depth?"
The team now moves on against in-state rival Little Rock, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14 inside Bud Walton Arena. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+.
HOGS FEED:
RAZORBACKS' TIGHT END DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE RETURNING TO ACTION THIS SEASON
BEHIND ENEMY LINES: AUBURN REPORTER ON WHERE THINGS ARE WITH TIGERS HEADING TO FAYETTEVILLE
RAZORBACKS PICK UP SIGNATURE OF A FORMER NO. 5-RANKED PLAYER IN THE COUNTRY
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