FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas women's basketball Coach Jimmy Dykes said he was a little worried going into Sunday's game against Northwestern (La.) State.
The Razorbacks were coming off a seven-point victory in their first road game at Middle Tennessee on Thursday, and Dykes said he was concerned with how his team would respond after just two days off.
"I wondered if we were good enough, tough enough and mature enough to put that win behind us, because I wasn't crazy with how we warmed up," he said.
Arkansas put its coach's mind at ease by scoring the game's first nine points and leading by as many as 25 in the first half of a 78-30 victory in front of an announced crowd of 1,647 at Walton Arena.
"I trust them now more than I ever did," Dykes said. "They showed me today that when I call them to ring the bell, they're going to ring the bell."
The Razorbacks (4-0) used a size advantage to disrupt Northwestern State's motion offense, holding the Demons (2-1) to 15.9 percent shooting and 10 field goals.
Arkansas led 38-17 at the half, outscored Northwestern State 40-13 in the second half and held a 54-38 rebounding advantage.
"When you make 10 field goals you're not going to beat many junior high teams," said Northwestern State Coach Brooke Stoehr, a Hamburg native who was the 1998 Arkansas and Southwest Region Gatorade Player of the Year. "I don't feel like we took poor shots, we just didn't hit them, and I think Arkansas' size and length affected us."
Sophomore Kelsey Brooks scored 19 points, including 4 of 5 from three-point range, and had 12 defensive rebounds and 7 assists for the Razorbacks. Sophomore Jessica Jackson added 18 and 7 rebounds, freshman Katie Powell had 11 points and senior point guard. Calli Berna had 5 rebounds and 7 assists.
The Razorbacks were 12 of 29 on three-point attempts. The Demons were 1 of 18.
"When we hit threes it changes us completely," Brooks said. "When someone makes a shot, the basket just seems to get bigger and everyone starts hitting shots.
"They made us work on offense, move the ball and kick it back out. Our shots just fell today."
The Razorbacks outscored Northwestern State 22-5 to close the game, which included three-pointers from Jackson, Brooks, Berna and Powell.
"We had a lot of open looks from three today," Dykes said. "I think we took too many, but it was good to hit some."
Northwestern State, which is picked to finish second in the Southland Conference after returning four starters from a 21-victory team last season, was coming off a 12-point victory over Louisiana Tech.
"Our defense played really, really good today," Dykes said. "To hold a team to 15 percent from the field, 8 percent in the second half, against a Princeton-style offense that we had two days to prepare for.
"I'm just glad we are able to adjust to a scouting report and take it to the court."
Arkansas made 12 of 16 free throws after coming into the game shooting 59 percent from the line.
"We had a chapel service this morning before the game and before the guy left he asked if there was anything he could pray for," Dykes said. "Melissa Wolff said, 'yes, our free throw shooting,' and we were 12 for 16.
"I'm going to have that guy come back next Sunday."
Arkansas travels to Las Vegas, where it will play No. 18 Iowa on Friday and Richmond on Saturday in the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout.
Sports on 11/24/2014