Preview – Arkansas Welcomes Texas Tech for WNIT Super 16

FAYETTEVILLE – The Arkansas women’s basketball team (23-12, 7-9 Southeastern Conference) is set to host its third game of the 2023 Postseason WNIT, as Texas Tech (20-14, 6-12 Big 12) comes into town for the Super 16 on Friday, March 24 at 7 p.m. at Bud Walton Arena. Former Southwest Conference foes, the game will mark the first played between these two teams since 2016 and the 28th contest of the all-time series. The winner of this matchup will advance to the Great 8 and become one step closer to a WNIT Championship. Tickets are $10 for all, and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

GAME INFORMATION

Date: Friday, March 24
Time: 7 p.m.
Opponent: Texas Tech
Location: Bud Walton Arena
Watch: SECN+
Listen: Razorback Sports Network from Learfield
Buy Tickets HERE ($10 for all)
Arkansas Game Notes
Texas Tech Game Notes
Live Stats

STORYLINES

• Arkansas has advanced to the Super 16 of the Postseason WNIT, making it the sixth time the Razorbacks have qualified for the third round of the tournament in program history
• In Arkansas’ eighth WNIT appearance, the Razorbacks are 3-2 in third-round games
• The Razorbacks will take on Texas Tech, a Lady Raider team who boasts a 20-14 record, a nine-win improvement from the 11-19 season in 2021-22. Texas Tech also went 6-12 in the Big 12 to finish in eighth in the league
• As old SWC opponents, these two teams have a rich history with Arkansas owning the 18-9 edge leading into the 28th contest of the series. The last time these two teams played was in 2016
• In Arkansas’ first two WNIT games, the Razorbacks have held opponents to 47 (vs. LA Tech) and 37 (vs. SFA) points each for a 42.0 points per game average on defense
• The Razorbacks are 23-12, which marks the program’s 22nd 20-win season, third under Mike Neighbors. This is also the most wins for the program since 2019-20 when that team went 24-8
• Arkansas received the automatic qualifying bid to the WNIT as the SEC’s highest finisher among teams not chosen for the NCAA Tournament
• In the Neighbors era, this is his fifth postseason appearance with Arkansas (three NCAA Tournaments including 2020 and now two WNITs)
• Only three schools in the SEC have qualified for postseason tournaments in each of the past five seasons with Arkansas being one of them. Tennessee and South Carolina are the other two
• Arkansas made a quarterfinal appearance at the SEC Tournament for the fourth time in the last five seasons. The Razorbacks defeated Missouri, 85-74, in the second round, but fell to No. 1, eventual SEC Champion South Carolina, 93-65, in the quarterfinals
• On the All-SEC teams, Erynn Barnum earned a spot on the SEC Second Team, while Saylor Poffenbarger was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team
• Barnum leads the team in scoring with 15.3 points and a .561 field goal percentage, which led the SEC for majority of the season. She has surpassed 1,000 points in her career and became the 18th Razorback to join the 1,000 points/500 rebound club
• Barnum was one of 10 candidates for the Katrina McClain Award, given to the best power forward in the country
• Samara Spencer is the second leading scorer with 14.5 points per game and leads the team in assists with 151. Her 4.3 assists per game is the fourth most in the SEC
• Makayla Daniels leads the team in steals with 56 and averages 12.7 points per game
• Daniels continues to move up in career top 10-20 lists, sitting No. 12 in points (1,421), No. 4 in career starts (120), No. 8 in career 3-pointers (172) and No. 14 in career assists (310)
• Chrissy Carr logs 11.7 points per game and leads the squad with 81 3-pointers
• Poffenbarger leads the team in rebounding with 6.9 per game and has 38 blocks. She is also the record holder for single-season defensive rebounds with 212, while being the first Hog to pull down 200+ defensive boards in a season (since the stat has been tracked)
• The team is second in least turnovers committed per game in the SEC with 13.4 per game
• Arkansas gets to the line 23.23 times per game, which is second in the conference and seventh in the country. The Razorbacks’ 15.66 makes from the free throw line per game is third in the SEC and 14th in the NCAA
• Arkansas leads the SEC in 3-point attempts per game (27.2), which is 10th in the country, and No. 2 in 3-pointers per game (8.2) in the league. Additionally, Arkansas set a program record for 3-point attempts in a season (949) and sits third in 3-pointers made (287)