FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas will make a quick turnaround as it hosts SMU tonight, just a couple days after defeating Arkansas State 94-71 on the road Friday.
The physical part of that task isn’t a concern for Coach Mike Neighbors especially considering the team’s depth.
“I think we’re good at that,” said Neighbors, whose Razorbacks host the Mustangs for a 7 p.m. tip in Walton Arena. “I don’t lose one bit of sleep about preparation and recovery. I think we’ve got that locked down pretty good. Mentally is the part that I’m still unsure with part of our team.
“That mental part of it, I’m still learning each of them, even Amber [Ramirez] in a new role. Even Makayla [Daniels] in a new role. You know, how are they processing these things? Maybe we have to make some tweaks … I think the turnaround will be hopefully not noticeable.”
Arkansas (3-1) never trailed after the first six minutes against the Red Wolves on Friday night. Daniels led four Razorbacks in double figures with a game-high 22 points. Neighbors went deep into his bench as multiple players dealt with foul trouble. In addition, freshman Jersey Wolfenbarger did not play because of illness, Neighbors said.
Freshman Samara Spencer again sparkled with 16 points and 6 rebounds in just over 23 minutes from off the bench. Springdale’s Marquesha Davis added 10 points and 3 steals in 15 minutes.
Rylee Langerman, a 5-9 sophomore from Norman, Okla., contributed 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and no turnovers in 24 minutes — her most this season. Neighbors said Langerman will draw her first start tonight, following Friday’s performance. That had already been predetermined and had nothing to do with her play against ASU, he said.
“Langerman’s been in our best lineups,” Neighbors said. “She’s been so, so good. She keeps so many balls alive. She touches things. She moves it. Yeah, our depth is going to be a problem for a lotta teams, I think.”
Neighbors has started slightly different lineups in each regular-season game. The quartet of Sasha Goforth, Erynn Barnum, Daniels and Ramirez have started every game, but the fifth spot has rotated each time.
He’s determined to emphasize the overall group mentality moreso than any starting five. It’s worked well so far as five players are averaging in double figures in scoring led by Spencer at 12.5 points per game. But the freshman from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has only started one of the first four games.
Neighbors believes that’s a key for his team full of new faces to possibly outperform any preseason predictions.
“It’s us and if we can keep that little nugget going, I think we can finish higher than people have picked us, too,” Neighbors said.
Daniels and Ramirez, the only two returning starters, are both averaging a team-high 25 minutes per game. By comparison, Ramirez was one of three players, who averaged more than 30 minutes a year ago.
The Mustangs (2-1) are led by a pair of transfers. Guard Sidne Wiggins, a graduate transfer from Rice, leads SMU in scoring, averaging 12.0 points per game. Florida State transfer Savannah Wilkinson is averaging a double-double (11.3 points, 10.3 rebounds).
First-year coach Toyelle Wilson added eight newcomers to the roster, including six transfers and two freshmen.