SEC/TOP 25 WOMEN
GEORGIA 72, ARKANSAS 57
ATHENS, Ga. -- After jumping out to a first-quarter lead and holding a two-point edge at the half, the game fell apart on the Arkansas women in the second half during a 72-57 Georgia victory Thursday at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens.
The Razorbacks put together scoring runs of 7-0 and 6-0 in the first quarter and held a 14-8 lead after the first 10 minutes.
Senior Melissa Wolff of Cabot grabbed two quick rebounds in the first quarter and became the fifth player in program history to grab more than 700 rebounds. She finished with six rebounds, all on the defensive end.
Junior Jessica Jackson of Jacksonville led the Razorbacks (11-17, 6-9 SEC) with 15 points while Devin Cosper added 14.
Arkansas' first-half offense was hampered when Jackson picked up two quick fouls and played only eight of 20 minutes. The Razorbacks had a 24-20 rebounding edge in the first half, but Georgia (21-7, 9-6) used points in the lane to keep the game close.
Once Georgia tied the game in the second half at 34-34, Stegeman Coliseum fans got back in the game. Arkansas trailed 45-42 entering the fourth quarter, but a 15-3 run by the Bulldogs put the game away.
Georgia outscored the Razorbacks 48-31 in the second half.
Merritt Hempe led four Georgia players with 12 or more points, scoring 18. Tiaria Griffin had 15, Caliya Robinson had 14 and Pachis Roberts had 12.
Arkansas, which is 9-3 in games it led at the half, closes the regular season at 3 p.m. Sunday against Ole Miss at Walton Arena in Fayetteville.
In other games involving SEC/Top 25 women's teams, Courtney Walker and Khaalia Hillsman scored 16 points apiece and No. 11 Texas A&M pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Auburn 57-49 for a season-high sixth consecutive victory. With the victory, Texas A&M (21-7, 11-4 SEC) clinched the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament, its highest mark ever in the conference. The Aggies end their regular season against No. 15 Kentucky on Sunday. Brandy Montgomery scored 13 points to lead Auburn (18-10, 8-7), which has lost two consecutive games and concludes its season at Florida on Sunday. ... Janee Thompson scored 12 of her 24 points in the fourth quarter as No. 15 Kentucky (20-6, 9-6) pulled away for a 69-59 victory over No. 24 Missouri. Evelyn Akhator made 6 of 8 from the field and scored 15 with 9 rebounds, while Makayla Epps added 14 points for Kentucky. Missouri (21-7, 8-7 SEC) trailed by 13 at the half before outscoring the Wildcats 25-11 in the third to take a 51-50 lead into the final quarter.
TOP 25 MEN
SMU holds off Memphis
MEMPHIS -- Sterling Brown scored 14 points to help No. 24 SMU shake off pesky Memphis for a 69-62 victory.
SMU leading scorer Nic Moore was held without a point in the first half, but his floater with less than a minute to play gave the Mustangs (23-4, 11-4 AAC) a 65-62 lead. Moore finished with 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting.
Memphis led 57-56 until Shake Milton hit a three-pointer and Brown made a pair of free throws for a four-point SMU advantage.
Jeremiah Martin missed a corner shot that would have given Memphis a lead with less than a minute to go before Moore hit his floater. With his team leading 65-62, Moore stole the ball and Brown drew an intentional foul and made two more from the line.
In another game involving a Top 25 men's team, Grayson Allen scored 18 points, Brandon Ingram added 16 and No. 15 Duke beat Florida State 80-65. Marshall Plumlee had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Blue Devils (21-7, 10-5 ACC). Playing an unranked opponent for the first time since Feb. 6, five Duke players scored 10 or more points for the first time in league play and forced 14 turnovers while matching a season low with five themselves.
Sports on 02/26/2016