NORTH LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas women’s basketball team (9-3) got back to its winning ways on Saturday afternoon with a win over Samford (7-4) at Simmons Bank Arena. Arkansas forced 21 turnovers, including 11 in the first quarter alone. Despite Samford cutting the lead to four early in the third quarter, the Hogs used a 10-2 run to close out the third quarter for the cushion needed for the win. Arkansas dominated in points in the paint with 28 compared to the Bulldogs’ 12, and the Hogs were led by Samara Spencer’s 20 points, her second 20-piece of the year.
After winning the tipoff, Maryam Dauda knocked down a triple on Arkansas’ first offensive possession. Arkansas then fell in a scoring drought for 2.5 minutes until Dauda hit two free throws. Samford committed turnovers in each of their first four possessions, finishing with 11 in the first quarter, as the Hogs led, 5-0, just 2:59 into the game. The Bulldogs got on the board after 3.5 minutes with a jumper and followed that up with a quick triple to tie the game at 5-5. After Dauda’s 3-pointer on the Hogs’ opening possession, Arkansas went 0-for-6 from the field until Samara Spencer found an open Makayla Daniels from downtown and the graduate student drained the triple. That 3-pointer was a part of a 7-3 run for Arkansas. Cristina Sanchez Cerquiera then came into the game and provided valuable minutes with a layup and rebound, but a Samford 3-pointer cut the Hogs’ lead to one, 12-11. After Spencer made one of two free throws, Arkansas took a 13-11 lead after one quarter.
The Bulldogs tied the game at 14-14 with a 3-pointer, but Dauda knocked down a mid-range jumper. The Bulldogs then took their first lead of the game off a 3-pointer, as the Bulldogs started the game 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. Arkansas was in a three-minute scoring drought until Carly Keats came up with a floater. Arkansas trailed 19-18 at the media timeout taken with less than five minutes left in the quarter. Out of the break, the Hogs tied the game up twice, and a Daniels layup pulled the Hogs back ahead, 23-21. The Hogs closed out the quarter on a 10-0 run, their biggest run of the game, while Daniels capped things off with knocking down a triple before the buzzer. At the half, Arkansas led, 29-21.