Razorbacks expect test from Jackson State

Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors is shown during a game against California on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE — Jackson State may have a 1-3 record, but University of Arkansas women’s basketball Coach Mike Neighbors said he believes it may be the best team to come to Walton Arena thus far this season.

But the Razorbacks (7-2) won’t be at 100% when they take on the Lady Tigers tonight for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

Freshman Emrie Ellis won’t be available and 6-1 sophomore Sasha Goforth will be a game-time decision after suffering injuries in Sunday’s 84-67 win over California, Neighbors said.

“We’ll have a different starting lineup than we’ve had yet,” Neighbors said. “… Probably a couple new faces that haven’t contributed a lot minutes-wise. We’re going to be needing them.”

The 6-3 Ellis has played in every game and leads the team with 14 blocked shots despite averaging just 12-plus minutes per game. She rolled her ankle in the first half Sunday and did not return. Goforth went down in the final minute of the game and had to be helped to the locker room.

With Ellis out, that could mean more playing time for 6-3 junior Destinee Oberg, who has played only limited minutes this season. In addition, 6-5 freshman Jersey Wolfenbarger will likely play more inside, Neighbors said.

“Oberg’s been practicing great, so she’ll get her shot,” Neighbors said. “I think you’ll see Jersey play extended minutes at that particular spot. We’ll not look at her as much on the perimeter and have to look at her being able to defend that player at the very least. She may still play offense on the perimeter, but she’s going to have to defend around the basket.

“You may see some zone. We’ve been working on our zone defense here and there all the way through the preseason. We haven’t really played it much in a game. That could be something to have your antennas up for.”

Jackson State returns four key contributors from a team that won the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships last season. It lost 101-52 to Baylor in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Reigning SWAC Player of the Year Dayzsha Rogan and SWAC Defensive Player of the Year Ameshya Williams Holliday return to form a nice inside-outside combination and have been buoyed by four Division I transfers.

The Lady Tigers actually played No. 11 Texas better (78-64) than No. 18 Texas A&M did. They also lost at Miami and Ole Miss, so being on the road won’t faze them, Neighbors said.

“Coming to Bud Walton Arena sometimes is worth a few points before the game starts, but that’s not going to be the case [tonight],” Neighbors said. “They’ve been in some good environments already. I think they’re the best 1-3 team in the country, picked to win their league again.”

Freshman Maryam Dauda, who played at Bentonville High School, has now practiced for almost three weeks without limitation, Neighbors said. The 6-4 McDonald’s All American signed originally with Baylor but changed her mind when coach Kim Mulkey left for the LSU job. She had surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her knee suffered late in her senior season in high school.

“By the way she’s played, I’d tell you she’s making progress every single day,” Neighbors said.

But the decision whether to play this season or redshirt would be entirely up to Dauda and her family, he added.