TULSA, Okla. — The Arkansas women’s basketball team (18-15) ended its season at Tulsa (24-9) in the first round of the NCAA’s WBIT, 80-62. Arkansas got off to a slow start in the game, which propelled the Golden Hurricane to lead by as many as 28 in the game. The Hogs were led by Maryam Dauda’s career-high 22 points with nine rebounds.
The Hurricane got on the board first to jump out to a 7-0 lead, while the Hogs missed their first five shot attempts. Samara Spencer then hit a 3-pointer for Arkansas’ first score over three minutes into the game. Tulsa responded with a quick 8-0 run, forcing the Hogs to take a timeout, down 15-3 with 5:14 left to play in the first quarter. Out of the break, Dauda took it to the basket for a layup. The Hurricane went on another 7-0 run, while the Hogs were held in a drought for nearly four minutes until Makayla Daniels made a layup. The Hogs trailed 22-7 after the end of the first quarter.
Tulsa went on a 12-2 run to start the second quarter, forcing Arkansas to call a timeout with 7:42 left in the second quarter and the Hogs trailing 34-9. The Hurricane banked in a 3-pointer to extend their lead to 28. Arkansas made their next three field goals, while Tulsa was held in a scoring drought for over three minutes, as the Hogs were behind 41-18 with less than three minutes to go in the half. Dauda continued to work in the post with eight points in the second quarter with another layup and Tulsa has a response with a triple. At the half, Tulsa led 45-22.
The Hogs got a quick score to start the second half with a Daniels 3-pointer, but the Hurricane had an answer with back-to-back triples. Arkansas was held without a field goal for nearly three minutes until Daniels drove to the basket for a layup to earn her 100th double-digit scoring game of her career. Dauda continued to put in work in the post to trail by 22, but the Hurricane drained their 10th 3-pointer of the game. At the media timeout taken at 3:01, Arkansas trailed 61-36. Spencer drained a 3-pointer to elevate her point total to double digits for the 26th time this season. Karley Johnson hit a 3-pointer before the buzzer, as Arkansas trailed, 63-45 going into the final quarter of play. Arkansas outscored Tulsa in the third, 23-18.
Tulsa opened the fourth quarter on a 6-0 run, and then Keats came up with a runner for Arkansas’ first score of the quarter. Dauda hit a triple and Arkansas called a timeout, as Tulsa led 71-50 with 5:47 remaining in the game. Dauda made a turnaround jumper to earn her second 20-point game of the season. At the media timeout taken at the 3:53 mark, Arkansas trailed 74-52. Johnson made her second 3-pointer of the game with under a minute to play. The Hogs and Hurricane both put up 17 points in the fourth quarter, as Arkansas’ season came to an end with an 80-62 loss in Tulsa.
