Ole Miss' guards, size concerns for Neighbors

Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors, right, and assistant coach Lacey Goldwire look at notes during a game against Grambling State on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Coach Mike Neighbors is very familiar with Ole Miss.

The first-year Razorbacks women's coach has watched the Rebels more than any other SEC team this season. Today, he will attempt to put his review to good use as the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville opens SEC play against Ole Miss at 2 p.m. in Walton Arena.

Ole Miss women at Arkansas

WHEN 2 p.m.

WHERE Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville

RECORDS Ole Miss 10-3; Arkansas 9-4

SERIES Ole Miss leads 26-16

RADIO KABZ-FM 103.7 in Little Rock; KQSM-FM 92.1 in Fayetteville; KFPW-AM 1230 and KFPW-FM 94.5 in Fort Smith; KURM-AM 790 and KURM-FM 100.3 in Rogers.

ONLINE ArkansasRazorbacks.…

TELEVISION SEC Network Plus

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS

ARKANSAS

POS^NAME^HT.^YR.^PPG^RPG

G^Malica Monk^5-5^Jr.^17.2^3.7

G^Devin Cosper^5-10^Sr.^16.3^6.5

G^Jailyn Mason^5-9^So.^9.2^4.3

F^Bailey Zimmerman^6-0^Jr.^2.5^3.9

P^Kiara Williams^6-1^So.^7.7^8.2

COACH Mike Neighbors (9-4 in first season at Arkansas)

OLE MISS

POS^NAME^HT.^YR.^PPG^RPG

G^Madinah Muhammad^5-8^Jr.^17.8^3.5

G^Alissa Alston^5-8^Jr.^15.8^3.4

G^Chyna Nixon^5-9^Fr.^3.8^3.4

F^Cecilia Muhate^6-2^Jr.^2.8^1.7

F^Promise Taylor^6-5^Fr.^9.8^6.4

COACH Matt Insell (68-71 in five seasons at Ole Miss)

TEAM COMPARISON

Ole Miss^Arkansas

74.8^Points Scored Per Game^70.5

65.3^Points Allowed Per Game^64.9

40.0^Rebounds Per Game^42.7

15.8^Turnovers Per Game^11.5

.436^FG pct.^.370

.337^3-pt FG pct.^.294

.658^FT pct.^.664

CHALK TALK Arkansas and Ole Miss have met in the Southeastern Conference opener two of the last three seasons. Today’s game snaps a stretch of three consecutive of SEC road openers for the Razorbacks. … Arkansas guard Malica Monk recorded her first 10-point, 10-assist double-double in a win against Grambling State on Thursday. Monk enters averaging 17.2 points per game and as Arkansas’ assist leader with 57. … Devin Cosper ranks first among SEC players with 2.8 made 3-point field goals per game. She has made at least one 3-pointer in 17 consecutive games. … Ole Miss opened the season 9-1, its best start since the 2000-01 season. … The Rebels defeated Texas Southern 73-58 on Dec. 28.

— Scottie Bordelon

Neighbors has known Ole Miss Coach Matt Insell for years and is aware of the challenges the Rebels (10-3) present, beginning with guard play. Junior Madinah Muhammad averages nearly 18 points per game and Alissa Alston scores 15.8.

The Rebels also feature 6-5 Promise Taylor and 6-3 Shelby Gibson along the front line. Taylor averages 9.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per night to go with a team-high 39 blocks.

"It's a challenge for us," Neighbors said. "So it presents some problems for us just in sheer matchup size. They're in a situation where they're a little further along in understanding their culture and their style of play. I have watched them an awful lot."

After falling by 46 points at Arizona State on Dec. 21, Arkansas (9-4) closed out the nonconference schedule with a 79-62 victory against Grambling State on Thursday.

"We flushed that thing pretty fast," Neighbors said of the loss to the Sun Devils. "The only clips we showed them were a couple where we didn't huddle up after some good things happened to us. We're looking at it as a culmination of the nonconference schedule, but it did feel good to move on past that."

The Razorbacks turned in their fourth game with 10 or more three-pointers Thursday, highlighted by Devin Cosper's four. Neighbors said this is typically the time of year when his teams get their legs under them and shot quality improves.

Malica Monk found teammates for good looks regularly against Grambling to finish with 10 assists.

"I want a kid that will attack it and push the pace," Neighbors said. "She really had to work her tail off. She adapted and changed how she was playing. I thought we got some finishes on the back end of that, and that's good for Malica."

Neighbors has known Ole Miss coach Matt Insell for years and is well aware of the challenges the Rebels present, beginning with guard play. Junior Madinah Muhammad averages nearly 18 points per game this season and Alissa Alston scores at a 15.8 point-per-game clip as well.

The Rebels also feature 6-5 Promise Taylor at 6-3 Shelby Gibson along the frontline. Taylor is a double-double threat, averaging 9.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per night to go with a team-high 39 blocks. Gibson led Ole Miss with a career-high 20 points in a 73-58 win against Texas Southern on Dec. 28.

"It's a challenge for us," Neighbors said. "So it presents some problems for us just in sheer matchup size. They're in a situation where they're a little further along in understanding their culture and their style of play. I have watched them an awful lot."

Neighbors said he liked having a final nonconference primer Thursday night to knock off the cobwebs following Christmas break. He feels as if his team is well-prepared for league play.

"We're as ready as we could be. We had to go on the road at Arizona State, Nebraska and Kansas, and played in a good tournament on the road, so I think we're as prepared as we can be," he said. "I think our rotations, our roles have been very clearly identified, and that, to me, is when you've started to make some progress."

ADVERTISEMENT

More headlines

Sports on 12/31/2017