Preview – Arkansas hosts Alabama

FAYETTEVILLE – The No. 24 Arkansas women’s basketball team (17-5, 4-3 SEC) has a big matchup on Thursday night, as Alabama (15-5, 4-3 SEC) comes to town. Both teams are in a three-way tie for fifth in the SEC standings, while Arkansas is also looking to bounce back off two straight losses against top three teams on the road. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. at Bud Walton Arena and will be Arkansas’ We Back Pat game. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network.

GAME INFORMATION

Date: Thursday, Jan. 26
Time: 6 p.m.
Opponent: Alabama
Location: Bud Walton Arena
Watch: SECN
Listen: Razorback Sports Network from Learfield
Promotions: We Back Pat, season ticket holder bring-a-friend and healthcare and first responder appreciation
Tickets: Buy HERE
Arkansas Game Notes
Live Stats

STORYLINES

• The Razorbacks are 17-5, coming off back-to-back losses after starting league play 4-1, which marked its best start in SEC play since 2005-06
• Arkansas has been ranked in the WBCA/USA Today Coaches Poll for seven of the last eight weeks, coming in at No. 24 this past week. The Razorbacks received two votes in the AP Poll, being ranked in that poll for four straight weeks this season (#21, #21, #17 and #24 in AP)
• The team is looking to bounce back in a major way, hosting two games at Bud Walton Arena, where the Razorbacks are 9-1 in this season. The most wins a Mike Neighbors’ team has accomplished at BWA is 14, which came in 2019-20
• Although it’s early in the SEC slate, Thursday’s game will be big for the SEC standings, as the Crimson Tide, Razorbacks and Mississippi State Bulldogs are tied for fifth with 4-3 records in the league
• The Arkansas vs. Alabama game features the No. 1 and No. 2 3-point shooting teams in the conference, as well as two squads who are tied for fifth in the league’s standings
• With another win, Arkansas would start the SEC season 5-3, which would match the eight-game league play start the Razorbacks achieved in 2019-20 and 2018-19 under head coach Mike Neighbors
• Arkansas has five straight wins over the Crimson Tide, and the Razorbacks hope to make it six straight and nine out of the last 10
• The program is looking for double-digit home wins for the 21st time at Bud Walton Arena
• Coach Neighbors has led the program to another winning year in the regular season, as the Razorbacks have 17 wins. This marks the fifth regular season winning year for coach at Arkansas
• With another win, Arkansas will match last season’s win total at 18
• All five Arkansas starters are averaging near double digits. There are 11 teams in the country who have at least five players averaging double digits in scoring per game
• Erynn Barnum leads the Razorbacks with 15.7 points per game and 25 total blocks. In her fourth year with the Arkansas program and with several games remaining in the season, she has surpassed season highs in every statistical category except one. She has 346 points and 148 total rebounds on the season
• Saylor Poffenbarger paces the team in rebounding with 7.2 per game, 138 of her 159 rebounds coming on the defensive side
• Samara Spencer is the second leading scorer with 15.3 points per game and leads the team in assists with 98, 4.5 per game. Her assist total has already surpassed the total she accumulated last season as a freshman
• Makayla Daniels leads the team in steals with 31, while also averaging 13.0 points per game
• Chrissy Carr puts up 11.3 points per game and leads the squad with 49 3-pointers
• The team is first in the SEC in least turnovers per game with 13.27
• Arkansas gets to the line 24.09 times per game, which is second in the conference and third in the country
• In the SEC, Arkansas leads in 3-point attempts per game (26.9) and is No. 2 in 3-pointers per game (8.4)