Arkansas downs Tulsa in closing seconds

Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors speaks with guard Malica Monk against Nebraska Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018, during the second half of the Razorbacks' 84-80 win in Bud Walton Arena.

Senior guard Malica Monk made a layup with eight seconds remaining to give Arkansas a 61-59 win at Tulsa on Thursday.

Monk was fouled on the layup from the left side, but missed the free throw that would have given the Razorbacks a three-point lead. Tulsa’s Crystal Polk missed a 3-point attempt and Kayla Moutry missed on a second chance as time expired.

Arkansas (10-3) led 49-43 after Alexis Tolefree’s layup with 7:20 remaining in the fourth quarter, but Tulsa answered with a 13-6 run to go ahead 56-55 on a 3-pointer by Morgan Brady with 1:49 to play.

The teams exchanged leads three more times in the next 48 seconds. Arkansas went ahead 59-58 on Kiara Williams’ layup with 1:01 remaining, and Rebecca Lescay made the back end of two free throws to tie the game with 15 seconds left.

Chelsea Dungee, a native of Sapulpa, Okla., just outside of Tulsa, scored 23 points and had 9 rebounds to lead Arkansas. Monk scored 12 points and Williams scored 6 points and had 10 rebounds.

Polk scored 20 points and Brady added 16 for the Golden Hurricane (5-7). Tulsa has lost four straight games since a Dec. 1 win over Alabama, including three straight to teams from the state of Arkansas.

The Razorbacks have won three games this season by scoring the winning basket in the closing seconds. Tolefree hit a runner as time expired to give Arkansas a 66-65 win at Texas-Arlington on Nov. 14, and Monk’s layup with 4.7 seconds remaining gave the Razorbacks a 69-68 win over Wisconsin on Nov. 25 in Nashville, Tenn.

Arkansas is scheduled to host Jackson State on Dec. 30 in its final game before Southeastern Conference play begins with a Jan. 3 game against No. 4 Mississippi State.