FAYETTEVILLE — It’s nice to have options for a change.
Alecia Cooley scored 15 points and was among five Arkansas women’s players with at least 10 as the Razorbacks opened the season with a 97-53 victory over Southeastern Louisiana before a crowd of 4,937 Friday morning at Bud Walton Arena.
Jessica Jackson and Khadijah West added 13 points each, Kelsey Brooks scored 11 and Malica Monk had 10. Jackson led the Razorbacks with 10 rebounds.
All 11 Arkansas players who dressed out scored and 10 grabbed at least two rebounds.
“We did a lot of good things,” Arkansas Coach Jimmy Dykes said. “I liked our energy. I liked our depth. It’s nice to play 11 kids right now and they get in there and contribute."
Arkansas scored 36 points the final 16 minutes of the first half to take a 51-25 halftime lead. The Razorbacks took 32 more shots and outrebounded the Lions 59-34, and Arkansas’ bench scored 48 points.
Peaches Anderson led Southeastern Louisiana with 20 points, but the Lions were 19 of 56 (33 percent) from the field. The Lions turned over the ball 27 times and managed three second-chance points after grabbing five offensive rebounds.
“Arkansas has great athletes,” Southeastern Louisiana Coach Yolanda Moore said. “Arkansas did a great job, and they did what they were supposed to do. Arkansas is an SEC team and they played like it.”
Arkansas made 37 of 88 from the field (42 percent) and 16 of 25 (64 percent) from the free-throw line, and Dykes said there is plenty for Arkansas to work on before SEC play starts in January.
“I didn’t like the fact that we missed 50 shots, but the good thing is we got 27 offensive rebounds,” Dykes said. “We will get better.”
Arkansas hit four three-pointers the first 10 minutes while taking a 27-10 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Lions cut the lead to 29-17 on a three-pointer by Bre Warren with 8:45 left in the first half.
Six different Arkansas players scored as the Razorbacks outscored the Lions 13-3 to lead 42-20 with less than five minutes left in the first half. A layup by Briunna Freeman with one second left gave Arkansas a 26-point lead going into halftime.