Arkansas hopes The Force arrives against unbeaten women’s hoops power LSU

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON


FAYETTEVILLE – During Arkansas’ 79-60 women’s college basketball win over UCA Sunday, there was a row of Star Wars’ dressed characters in the front row at Bud Walton Arena.

It might have been more appropriate for them to show up and provide “The Force” on Thursday night at 8 p.m. when the Razorbacks (7-8) open SEC action by hosting No. 6 and unbeaten LSU (15-0).

The schedule makers did Arkansas head coach Mike Neighbors and his team no favors to start the SEC with the LSU game followed by a road one at No. 5 Texas (13-1) on Sunday at 2 p.m.

“Starting the SEC off in grand fashion, getting to see two of the top teams,” Neighbors said Wednesday. “Coming off the break with a little momentum after the win over UCA and a couple of good days practice. Ready to get it started.”

The Arkansas-LSU game will be televised on the SEC Network with Brenda VanLengen and Anne O’Neil calling the action.

LSU beat Iowa 102-85 to win the 2023 national title before losing in a 2024 rematch to superstar Caitlin Clark (41 points) and the Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight.

The 15-0 start is the second-best in school history with the 23-0 one in the national championship season being the best.

But Neighbors is not sure yet how this LSU team compares with those other two.

“It’s hard to tell because there games are kind of to the extreme,” Neighbors said. “It’s been 100-point wins or really tight games and nothing in between.

“And no true road games either. They got some neutral-site games, but no true road games.

“We have played them first several years in a row it kind of feels like. Maybe four out of the last five.”

Neighbors’ message to his team is that they should play free.

“No pressure, go out and play” Neighbors said. “We are going to be an underdog pretty much every game from here on out. Let’s get comfortable in that role.

“Our league coaches picked us to finish last unanimously so we know we are going to be an underdog every game we play so let’s go out there and see the top of the league.”

The Tigers, guided by legendary head coach Kim Mulkey, are led this season by 5-10 junior guard Flau’Joe Johnson and 6-1 senior forward Anesha Morrow.

Arkansas’ Izzy Higginbottom leads the SEC in scoring at 23.6 while Johnson (20.5, 6.2) is second and Morrow leads the nation in rebounding at 14.3 per game.

Higginbottom is limited by hip, knee and foot injuries and has missed practice time, but is probable to player per Neighbors.

“Arkansas has the leading scorer in the SEC,” Mulkey said. “Every time you play someone in the SEC it’s going to be a dogfight. If you keep fighting and you win enough of those dogfights, you’re going to be in a good position.”

Neighbors sees some traditional strengths of Mulkey and her staff’ teams.

“They are still a Coach Mulkey-coached team and Bob Starkey-coached defense,” Neighbors said. “…You know that every dribble offensively is going to be contested.

“You know they are going to build themselves around powerful things on offense, pound it inside, attack the paint and really attack the glass and build inside out.

“…I think they are as deep as they have ever been. I know how she likes to build her teams and I would think they are as far along or further then when they went to the finals.

“They are polished, but I hope the first true road game is hard on them. That gives us a chance to maybe catch them not at their best.

“And if we catch them not at their best and we play our best, we’ll have a good shot.”

Morrow had 20 points and 18 rebounds and 6-0 sophomore Mikaylah Williams added 18 points in LSU’s 83-61 win over Albany on Sunday.

Former Razorback and Fort Smith Northside star Jersey Wolfenbarger (6-5) has started the last four games for the Tigers and is averaging 7.1 points and 4.7 rebounds.

Wolfenbarger’ biggest game so far this season in her first year at LSU was a 19-point, 15-rebound effort against Louisiana-Lafeyette.

She did not play at Arkansas last season, leaving the team before the season started.

“She just takes what comes her way,” Neighbors said. “She is not out hunting shots….She drops off passes to Morrow. She is a really good basketball cutter. We saw that when she was here.

“…For us, the difference is she is just playing on the inside. shew wanted to play on the perimeter here and we worked on help her reaching her goals to do that here.

“They’ve got her down there and she seems very happy. I pulled her shot chart to take a look and she has only taken two shots out of the paint all year long.

“She is obviously comfortable in her role, confident in it and plays a lot of minutes…We expect her to play well.”

LSU is second nationally in rebounding at 50.3 per game while Arkansas is last in the SEC in rebound margin at minus 4.5.

“Morrow is having an All-American type year, they got Jersey in a spot where she is happy with her role being a five player,” Neighbors said. “She has not taken any shots outside the lane all year long.

“They have good guards around them and went to the portal and filled in some holes.”

The SEC has eight teams currently ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll – including four in the top 10 with No. 2 South Carolina, No. 5 Texas, No. 6 LSU and No. 9 Oklahoma.

“The SEC is different this year with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma,” Mulkey said. “Both of those programs are well respected in Women’s Basketball and across the board in all sports.
“We’ve made things a lot harder, and I think it’s a good thing for women’s basketball and the SEC.”

Photo by John D. James