Arkansas Loses SEC Opener to No. 12 Vanderbilt

FAYETTEVILLE – The Arkansas women’s basketball team fell to 11-5, 0-1 SEC after it dropped its SEC opener to No. 12 Vanderbilt (14-0, 1-0 SEC), 88-71, on Thursday afternoon inside Bud Walton Arena.

The Commodores’ Mikayla Blakes led all scorers with 35 points.

First Quarter – 17-22

• Vanderbilt controlled the tip and Mikayla Blakes drove for a layup to give the Commodores the early lead.
• Wyvette Mayberry scored Arkansas’ first points of the game, a one-handed jumpshot in the paint.
• Bonnie Deas made a pair of free throws at the 7:54 mark to give the Hogs their first lead, 4-3.
• Center Ashlynn Chlarson picked up two fouls before the 7:00 mark and had to sit for the rest of the half.
• Arkansas fired off a 7-0 run with a three from Emily Robinson and back-to-back layups from Deas and Maria Rodriguez to lead 11-5.
• The Hogs held Vanderbilt scoreless from the field for over four minutes.
• Arkansas led 11-7 at the media timeout.
• The Commodores responded with a 12-0 run and led 17-11.
• Danika Galea checked in for the first time since the game against Little Rock on Nov. 20.
• 11 of Blakes’ 35 points game in the first quarter.

Second Quarter – 30-46

• Vanderbilt extended its lead to 11 with back-to-back-to-back scores to open the quarter and Arkansas called a timeout.
• The Hogs clawed back with a 6-0 run to cut the Commodores’ lead to five points.
• A pair of threes near the end of the quarter from Aubrey Galvan and Ava Black gave Vandy a 17-point lead, its largest lead of the half.
• Arkansas had 13 turnovers in the first half, compared to the Commodores’ four.

Third Quarter – 50-68

• The Hogs opened the half with five straight points from Mayberry and Jones.
• Vanderbilt responded with five straight makes and jumped out to a 20-point lead with under six minutes to play in the third quarter.
• Lawrence made three free throws to cut the lead to 18 at the end of the third quarter.
• Arkansas held Vanderbilt scoreless for the final 2:36.

Fourth Quarter – 71-88

• Arkansas outscored Vanderbilt 21-20 in the fourth quarter.
• Jones scored eight of her 24 points in the fourth with a pair of threes.

Game Notes

• Arkansas’ 22 turnovers were the most in an SEC game since last season against Tennessee.
• Vanderbilt’s 88 points are the most the Hogs have allowed this season.
• Taleyah Jones led the Razorbacks with 24 points, her 13th double-digit game this season and her fifth 20-plus point game this season.
• Arkansas shot better than the Commodores, 48%-48%, but Vanderbilt had 20 more attempts.
• The Hogs played Vandy much closer in the second half and trailed by one point, 42-41.

Up Next

Arkansas will travel to Alabama (15-1) on Sunday, Jan. 4. The Tide lost their SEC opener at No. 3 South Carolina, 83-57.

For more information on Arkansas women’s basketball, follow @RazorbackWBB on social media.