Mario Bravante

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Arkansas Women’s Basketball (18-12) is moving on in the 2022 SEC Tournament, as Head Coach Mike Neighbors’ Hogs beat Missouri (18-12) in overtime, 61-52. With the win, the Razorbacks move onto the quarterfinals, where the number one seed and number one team in the country, South Carolina, awaits. 

Amber Ramirez scored 17 points in the game, 15 of which came after halftime, to lead the Hogs. It appeared that she had the winner, too, as she hit a midrange jumper with 25 seconds remaining to put the Razorbacks up by two. Makayla Daniels came up huge in the win, notching the first double-double of her career, going for 13 points and a career-best 14 rebounds. Sasha Goforth was also excellent in this one, scoring 11 points, blocking a career-best five shots, while holding All-SEC Second Teamer Hayley Frank to just five points.

TURNING POINT

The first half was a struggle for both teams, as the two squads headed back to the locker room with Missouri up, 23-17. Arkansas shot just 19 percent in the first half, while the Tigers only connected on 33 percent of their attempts. Arkansas came out of the locker room strong though – the Hogs held Missouri to just nine points in the third frame, and tied the game up at 32 going into the fourth quarter.

It was a seesaw affair in the fourth, as the Hogs led by as many as five and the Tigers led by as many as three. Ramirez’s midrange make off an inbounds play gave the Hogs the lead, but Haley Troup answered, making a layup of her own with 20 seconds left. Ramirez had another look at it, but her banker came off the rim, sending the game into overtime.

Arkansas was excellent in its first SEC Tournament overtime period since 2013, as the Hogs dominated the extra frame, 13-4. Daniels led the way in the overtime, scoring six points, all of which came at the free throw line. Goforth only had three in the period, but that three-point shot proved to be lethal, as the Hogs wouldn’t trail again after the 50-50 tie was broken.

HOG HIGHLIGHTS

• Goforth’s five blocks in the game matched her career-high. It also moved her into third on Arkansas’ single-season blocks list, as she now has 60 of them this season.

• Samara Spencer reached double-figures in her SEC Tournament debut, scoring 11 points.

• Ramirez has now scored in double-figures in 16 of her last 17 games.

• In addition to her double-double, Daniels also led the team in assists, dishing five of them.

• Jersey Wolfenbarger had a solid SEC Tournament debut, going for five points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.

NEXT TIME OUT

The Hogs are set to play No. 1 South Carolina tomorrow in the quarterfinals. That game will tipoff at noon, and it will air live on SEC Network.