No. 15 Arkansas to get serious test vs. Gamecocks

Mike Neighbors looks on during Arkansas' 91-88 win over Missouri in Bud Walton Arena on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021.

University of Arkansas women’s basketball Coach Mike Neighbors gave his team a day off following its 84-80 win against Florida on Thursday but knows the significant challenge that awaits today.

The No. 15 Razorbacks hit the road to take on No. 4 South Carolina. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. Central, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

The Gamecocks (9-1, 4-0 SEC) have won six games in a row and boast a strong inside combination with 6-5 sophomore Aliyah Boston and 6-2 junior Victoria Saxton, which is difficult for the smaller Razorbacks to match.

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They rank third in the country in rebounds per game (52.4) and second in rebound margin (plus-19.8), which puts even more pressure on Arkansas’ high-octane offense.

“A style of play that forces us to be really good on offense,” Neighbors said. “We’re not going to be able to rebound with them. We know that.

“So we’ve got to be able to out-other things with them. That means shoot it, not turn it over, win the hustle plays that are below 9 feet.”

The Gamecocks crushed Vanderbilt 106-43 on Thursday, holding the Commodores scoreless in the second quarter. Boston, who averages a double-double and shared SEC Player of the Week honors last week, has been a thorn in the Razorbacks’ side. She averaged 16.7 points and 17.7 rebounds in three games a year ago against Arkansas.

Arkansas will mostly focus more on themselves rather than the opponent. Neighbors has said often that the Razorbacks’ up-tempo style of play is what gives them a chance against anyone in the country. To his point, Arkansas knocked off the Gamecocks in its way to the SEC Tournament finals in 2019.

“Just knowing what they’re going to do doesn’t do anything if you can’t do anything about it,” Neighbors said. “So we’re going to focus on being the best version of us we can be because that gives us a puncher’s chance.”

“It will come down to our ability to make some shots and come up with a few stops whether that’s getting a tough rebound or a lucky rebound or maybe one of the one’s you get on the floor instead of high in the air.”

Arkansas (11-4, 2-3) snapped a two-game skid on Thursday behind a big night from senior Chelsea Dungee. The 5-11 guard poured in a team-high 33 points, including a school record 17 of 17 from the free throw line. She tied her own mark of 17 makes, but missed two in that game against Auburn on Feb. 7, 2019. That effort also surpassed Christy Smith’s 15-of-15 effort against Ohio State on Nov. 19, 1995, for most made in a game without a miss.

Free throws were the difference against the Gators as Arkansas made 24 of 27 as a team. Getting to the foul line is a key to success for Arkansas. Dungee, who averages 25.8 points per game in SEC play, leads the country in free throws made and attempted and so do the Razorbacks.

Neighbors said the Razorbacks tried to focus on some matchup advantages against Florida, which led to getting to the free throw line.

“We settled for three straight jumpers to start and I was not happy,” Neighbors said. “Then we got back to driving it, so I felt like that was going to be what they did. I felt like we needed to do the exact same thing to get the game going.”

The victory was big for the team’s confidence, after losing three of four to start league play, Neighbors added.

“I said this was an important game,” Neighbors said. “Everybody wanted to say, ‘Oh, it’s a must-win.’ There’s no such thing really, but it was important, very important to your psyche, very important to everyone’s confidence within the program. And then to continue to play well.

“We had some areas we played really, really well and some areas we didn’t, but the confidence is definitely there and very different preparation these three days had the outcome been different.”