Saylor Poffenbarger made a career-high 8 three-pointers and the Arkansas women’s basketball team extended its winning streak against Missouri to 11 consecutive games with a 67-58 victory Sunday in Columbia, Mo.
The Razorbacks (16-6, 4-3 SEC) have not lost to Missouri since Feb. 28, 2019.
Poffenbarger, whose mother Amy played for Missouri from 1990-94 and ranks third in program history for assists, scored 24 points and had 9 rebounds.
It was the second year in a row she has scored 24 points at Missouri. Both scoring performances are tied for her career high.
She made her 8 threes on 11 attempts, and did it with her mother in the stands. The former Amy Fordham, who wore No. 24 for the Tigers, was honored as part of Missouri’s alumni appreciation ceremonies.
“It just felt good, so I kept shooting,” said Poffenbarger, who joked afterward on the SEC Network-Plus broadcast she stopped at 24 points in honor of her mother’s number. “She was No. 24, so it’s ironic that both times I’ve played here I’ve scored 24 points. I had to stop.”
Poffenbarger made 8 of her first 9 looks from distance and was a make away from tying Wendi Willits’ single-game record of 9 threes against Georgia in February 1999.
Poffenbarger's performance came on the heels of her missing the Razorbacks’ 88-61 victory over Kentucky on Thursday night due to soreness in her right leg.
“Her teammates just rallied around her knowing that she hadn't been able to practice full speed,” Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors said. “She felt fresh. She felt good. And obviously when your shot is going in, you feel really good…. We needed every single one of them.”
Missouri (11-10, 2-6) trailed 49-48 entering the fourth quarter and was outscored 18-10 in the period. Arkansas led by as many as 11 points. It was a back-and-forth game until the final 10 minutes.
Neighbors has been pleased with his team’s ability to respond this season. Arkansas has not lost back-to-back games, and has won twice in SEC road contests after trailing by at least five points.
Missouri led 18-13 at the end of the first quarter, its largest advantage of the game. The Razorbacks defeated Alabama 77-59 on Jan. 14 after trailing 12-2 early.
“I don't know this yet, but I hope it's what we went through last year and how we learned from it,” Neighbors said of his team handling adversity well. “And how our upperclassmen have told all these newcomers that weren't here, how that felt.
“I hope that's what it is, because if that's it, then that's an unbelievable sign of a team.”
Poffenbarger got off to a hot start for the Razorbacks and made 3 three-pointers during a back-and-forth first quarter. Missouri held Arkansas scoreless over the final 4:58 of the period and went on a 7-0 run to take an 18-13 lead into the second quarter.
Arkansas took a 19-18 lead on back-to-back threes from Maryam Dauda and Poffenbarger, but the Tigers later grabbed a 28-24 advantage on a three by Ashton Judd.
Judd, who led Missouri with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting, scored 12 points in the first half.
The Razorbacks scored the final five points of the first half, capped by a Karley Johnson three-pointer. That gave Arkansas a 29-28 lead at intermission.
Missouri star forward Hayley Frank, who entered second in the SEC scoring 20.6 points per game in league play, picked up her third foul less than two minutes into the second half.
Frank was guarded primarily by Poffenbarger and was held below her average with 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting. Her foul trouble appeared to impact her play, as Missouri coach Robin Pingeton elected to keep her preseason All-SEC first team selection in the game.
“She did an unbelievable job again on Hayley Frank, as our whole team did,” Neighbors said. “But she was matched up with her a whole bunch one-on-one.”
Poffenbarger continued her hot shooting in the second half. She buried her fifth three-pointer with 6:49 to play in the third quarter, which gave the Razorbacks a 34-31 lead.
Arkansas looked to be creating separation when it took a 39-33 lead after a Samara Spencer free throw, but the Tigers fought back and took a 48-46 lead on an and-1 conversion by Judd.
The Razorbacks seized momentum entering the fourth quarter when freshman Jenna Lawrence buried a corner three-pointer with 6 seconds left on the game clock and with the shot clock expiring. It gave Arkansas a 49-48 lead entering the final period.
Poffenbarger made three consecutive three-pointers to begin the fourth quarter to power the Razorbacks to a 58-52 lead. Makayla Daniels and Spencer combined to score nine points to help Arkansas close things.
Spencer scored 13 points to go along with 6 points and 6 rebounds. Daniels added 13 points, and Dauda and Johnson each scored 7.
The Razorbacks shot 22 of 49 (44.9%) from the floor and 12 of 26 (46.2%) beyond the arc. Missouri was held to 21-of-55 (38.2%) shooting. Arkansas out-rebounded the Tigers 33-31.
Arkansas sophomore guard Carly Keats exited the game early after taking an inadvertent elbow from Dauda on a rebound attempt. Keats never reentered.
Taliah Scott, who leads the SEC with 22.3 points per game, missed her sixth consecutive game rehabbing from a back injury. Scott, a five-time SEC freshman of the week award recipient, returned to the Razorbacks’ practices less than a week ago.
Arkansas is scheduled to host Alabama at 8 p.m. Thursday on SEC Network.