Razorbacks' Wear-and-Tear of Closing Season Shows Up

No. 25 Georgia gets late free throws, Hogs miss chances in 63-62 loss Thursday night

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The wear and tear of a rough closing stretch is starting to show for Arkansas.

Georgia got a three-point play from Jenna Staiti with her free throw with 21 seconds left gave No. 25 Georgia a 63-62 win over the Razorbacks, who have now lost all four games they've played over a seven-day stretch.

The loss dropped the Hogs to 16-12 overall (6-9 SEC). The Bulldogs improved to 19-8 (8-7).

"There's not one thing I'm upset about with our kids because they fought and fought and fought," Hogs coach Mike Neighbors said later.

Arkansas Communications

Arkansas Communications

Arkansas Communications

Arkansas Communications

Arkansas Communications

He knew this was going to be a difficult stretch at the end.

"We just played four games in seven days," Neighbors said. "It's why you don't make free throws. It's why you have a hard time coming up with one extra stop. We didn't attack the basket strong enough to get a call down the stretch. So that's all fatigue." 

Makayla Daniels had two chances to get the lead back for the Hogs after Georgia got the lead, but was whistled for an offensive foul and then turned the ball over on the game’s last possession.

Daniels scored a team-high 21 points on the night, and it marked her most by far since she returned from injury on Sunday and was playing with a harness on her left shoulder.

The junior guard scored 18 of her points in the second half, including nine straight in the fourth to get the Hogs back in the game.

Sasha Goforth was the only other Hog to reach double figures, going for 13 points.

Samara Spencer was playing the game in a mask after suffering a broken nose against Ole Miss on Tuesday night.

"We didn't get to practice yesterday," Neighbors said. "She only had hours, not days, to get ready to play wearing that."

The Hogs came out of the gates hot in hopes of ending their three-game drought, racing out to a 15-2 lead to start the game.

Arkansas held that edge through the rest of the first frame and held a nine-point lead after the first 10 minutes.

Arkansas Communications

Arkansas Communications

Arkansas Communications

Arkansas Communications

In the second quarter, Georgia cut the Hogs' lead to one by halftime.

The Bulldogs found a rhythm in the third quarter, scoring 25 points in the stanza and claiming a seven-point lead with a quarter to play.

The Hogs made a push to make a comeback, and with 27 seconds left in the game, Arkansas had the lead for the first time since the six-minute mark in the third quarter.

Daniels and Spencer played big-time minutes down the stretch, combining for 14 points and going 7-of-8 from the free throw line, helping get the Hogs back in front.

Up two with 27 seconds to go, Arkansas allowed an and-one layup to Staiti, putting the Dawgs up by one.

The Hogs had a couple chances in the game’s final seconds but were unable to cash in, and Arkansas lost a heartbreaker by a point.

Highlights

• Daniels scored 20 points for the fifth time this season.

• Goforth had three blocks in the game, her eighth game this season with 3+ blocks.

• Wolfenbarger once again led the squad on the glass, pulling down seven boards.

Next game

The regular season finale is coming up Sunday, as the Hogs will play Mississippi State in the Hump. That game will tipoff at 5 p.m. and will air live on the SEC Network.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.

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• Graphix look back at Hogs' football

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