FAYETTEVILLE — One of the most decorated players in Arkansas women’s basketball history will be celebrated Sunday after the Razorbacks play another NCAA Tournament bubble game against Vanderbilt.
Makayla Daniels, a 5-8 guard from Frederick, Md., will be honored as part of Arkansas’ Senior Day festivities following a 2 p.m. game on SEC Network+ against Vanderbilt. She is the lone graduating player on the team.
Daniels dots the program’s top-10 lists. She is fifth on the program’s all-time scoring leaderboard with 1,806 points and has the record for games started (150), games played (150) and minutes. She is third in steals (239), ninth in assists (391), sixth in three-pointers made (229) and fifth in free throws made (437).
Daniels already held the school record for SEC victories (37) following her senior season in 2022-23 and has added to it with six more as a graduate player for Arkansas (18-10, 6-7 SEC) this season.
More from WholeHogSports: Arkansas vs. Vanderbilt women's basketball: How to watch and listen, what to know
During her tenure with the Razorbacks, the program has been to two NCAA Tournaments and one Women’s National Invitation Tournament. She would have a third NCAA Tournament appearance under her belt — Arkansas was an at-large lock during her freshman season in 2019-20 — but the tournament was canceled that season.
“It is [surreal] as we started getting those things together that you do on Senior Days,” seventh-year Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors said. “Just making sure she's in the proper perspective of our fans [with] what she has done and how that she's got us to a place of consistency.
“Obviously as of yet we don't have a banner to hang or a Final Four, but that's not what it's all about…. Making sure the perspective is understood of how many days she's allowed us to live above .500 and in the postseason every year, whether that's the NCAA or the [W]NIT. [We want to] speak to the history of this program, the 33-year history, and where she falls in place with that and make sure she gets the proper respect.”
Before the season started, Daniels was asked what made her decide to stick with the Razorbacks during an era when players transfer often.
“I love it here,” Daniels said. “There’s nothing wrong here. It’s not about NIL or whatever for me. I could be [somewhere else] making some NIL money, but then I’m in a program that I hate.
“Here, I’m at a program that allows me to play freely. I fit the program. The coaches are great. So why would I leave to try to go build something somewhere else when the coaches [at Arkansas] are pouring into me and I’m pouring into them?
“I started here, and I want to finish what I started here.”
ESPN women’s basketball analyst spoke highly of Daniels recently, commending her dedication to a program.
“At this day and age, she really could have gone a multitude of places for any multitude of reasons if she wanted to,” Carter said to the Hawgs Sports Network. “And people probably wouldn't bat an eye, just because that's how the game is now — you can make a decision to leave at any time for any reason.
“I think it does speak to her deep loyalty for the program. It speaks to, I think, maturity, and why she came to Arkansas. She came to Arkansas because, from what it looks like, it was a special place to her. This is where she wanted to be. Through the highs and lows, she's been able to stick it out.”
Daniels hopes to finish her career is with a trip to the Big Dance.
Arkansas is on the bubble and in need of multiple wins over its final 3 regular-season games. The Razorbacks missed out on an opportunity Thursday to bolster their NCAA Tournament resume when they let a 14-point second half lead slip away and lost at Texas A&M 73-67.
“I just told [the team], ‘This is a good team, and we lost to them at home,’” Neighbors said Thursday following the loss. “'We cannot let this one hurt us on Sunday. If we will play that hard, if we'll stay that focused as we were going into this game [we have to] just play a little bit better.’ We'll be fine with our last however many games we have.”
In the latest NCAA Tournament projections by ESPN, the Commodores (19-8, 6-7) were forecasted among the last four teams in and the Razorbacks were among the first four teams excluded.
Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph said she does not have to tell her team the stakes.
“Day-to-day, game-to-game,” Ralph said of her focus. “And mostly about ourselves. ‘Where in the games that we’ve lost have we shot ourselves in the foot?’
“It doesn’t help for us to talk about [the NCAA Tournament] in my mind because I know everyone else is talking to them about it. I know they’re reading it. I know they see it. I know they understand.”
Neighbors said he takes a similar approach with his team.
“I don't have to go in there with a big speech or a big presentation to let them know. They read social media and they read the real news. They know it's a big week. We won't harp on it any extra.
Neighbors said there are similarities between Texas A&M and Vanderbilt, though different styles.
“Our [men’s] practice team will be really happy because they can play as hard as they want,” Neighbors said leading into the Texas A&M game. “[Texas A&M and Vanderbilt are] very similar defensively. Though they have different tactics, they both really have kind of built their identity around their defensive side.”