NO. 18 RUTGERS 64, NO. 25 ARKANSAS 52
FAYETTEVILLE -- The season's worst shooting performance came at a bad time for the Arkansas women's basketball team Sunday afternoon.
The 25th-ranked Razorbacks held steady defensively, but couldn't overcome 28.1 percent shooting in a 64-52 loss to No. 18 Rutgers in front of an announced crowd of 1,567 at Walton Arena.
"We're not going to beat anybody, much less a top 25 team, shooting 28 percent," Arkansas Coach Jimmy Dykes said.
Arkansas (6-2) trailed 36-24 at halftime and got within 41-35 seven minutes into the second half. But the Scarlet Knights hit key baskets to stop the Razorbacks' momentum, shot 43.9 percent, and had four players score at least 10 points.
It was a successful homecoming for Rutgers sophomore guard Tyler Scaife, playing her first game in Arkansas after graduating two years ago from Little Rock Hall, where she was an All-American.
Scaife scored 13 points on 6-of-14 shooting.
"Coach had a talk with me about staying calm and relaxing and playing the game," said Scaife, who had a cheering section of approximately 150 sitting behind the Rutgers bench.
Kahleah Copper led Rutgers with 17 points, including 7 of 8 from the free-throw line. Betnijah Laney added 12 and Rachel Hollivay 10.
Rutgers outrebounded Arkansas 44-38 and outscored the Razorbacks 30-18 in the lane.
Each team was coming off its first loss.
Arkansas, which led by nine with 21 seconds to play in regulation, fell to South Dakota State in overtime on Thursday, and the same night, Rutgers dropped its first game of the season at home to No. 6 North Carolina, 96-93, in double overtime.
"It was a tough, well-fought game and we expected that against Arkansas," said Rutgers Coach C. Vivian Stringer, who is in her 20th season with the Scarlet Knights and 44th season overall. "We knew, especially after Arkansas lost the heartbreaker last week against South Dakota State that they would play that much harder and they did. They are very talented.
"We outrebounded them and that speaks volumes."
Sophomore Jessica Jackson led Arkansas with 14 points, but was held to one point in the second half on 0 of 8 shooting.
"She [Jackson] was 1 of 6 from the three, but she competed," Dykes said, noting Jackson's eight rebounds in 37 minutes. "She played as hard as she has all year."
Jhasmin Bowen scored 13 and Kelsey Brooks and Melissa Wolff each added 11.
The Razorbacks made 4 of 18 three-pointers.
"We had some looks on shots we normally make," Dykes said. "We had good looks that didn't go in. Rutgers is a legit top 20 team, because we're a good basketball team. I refuse to believe otherwise.
"Rutgers didn't outfight us or outcompete us. If we played them again, we'd like our chances."
Scaife and Copper scored eight points apiece in the first half, and the Scarlet Knights outscored the Razorbacks 6-0 midway through the first half to take the lead for good at 16-10.
Arkansas pulled within 18-16 on two free throws from Bowen with 8:50 left in the half, but Rutgers, ignited by Scaife, outscored Arkansas 18-8 to close the half.
Two three-pointers from Brooks pulled Arkansas within 40-32 and 41-35, but Rutgers took control for good with a 12-2 run in the final seven minutes of the game.
"We made a couple of runs and continued to fight," Wolff said. "We didn't quit, [Rutgers] just pushed it back at us and hit some shots that we didn't hit.
"They have aggressive, quick players. I honestly think we moved the ball well and got to the free-throw line."
Sports on 12/08/2014