UAPB’s Sunday surprise stuns Arkansas

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

It turned into anything but a festive Sunday for Arkansas as UAPB’s women’s basketball team came into Fayetteville and went all Grinch during the Razorbacks’ annual holiday game.

Former McDonald’s All-American Zaay Jones had 21 points and former Fayetteville High star Coriah Beck added 15 to lead UAPB to a 74-70 win over Arkansas 74-70 before an announced crowd of 3,330 fans at Bud Walton Arena.

It was the first ever win over a Power 5 school for the Lions (4-7) and doubled as the first in-state school to beat the Razorbacks (8-3) in 16 opportunities since 2019.

It also dropped Arkansas’ record against SWAC teams to 42-3.

“It was how they played,” Arkansas head coach Mike Neighbors said afterwards. “I am not going to be that coach that comes through here and gives you the old song and dance that they outplayed us and then make a bunch of excuses.

“They have played very well this year. Their record is not indicative. They have had some tough breaks. They didn’t have any tough breaks today. They got all their own breaks because they made them happen. They go to every loose ball.”

“I don’t know what the number is going to be, but when I look at film, it is going to be hard to watch. Because I felt like we defended and then they would just out hustle us to the ball. Twenty two offensive rebounds tells you that they were really playing harder than we were, especially in the second half.”

UAPB head coach Dawn Thornton did not attempt to minimize the importance of her team’s victory, which came on a Razorbacks game in which coaches and fans wore Christmas attire.

“We made history and I think anytime you have an opportunity to do that, you have to celebrate it,” Thornton said. “Coach Neighbors is a wonderful coach. He is a legend and never could I have imagine what that would feel like to be able to beat Arkansas.

“I have played them every year (of five) that I have been here and it has been tough. But one thing we have done is shown improvement every year with this basketball program. I am just so excited to be able to celebrate this with my team.

“My staff, everybody has locked in to the mission and we have been so close with a lot of other games. But to be able to be here in our state in front of our fans, our sixth man…It is just surreal to me.”

Green played at both Tennessee and Texas A&M before transferring to UAPB while Beck is the daughter of former Arkansas point guard Corey Beck, who helped lead the Razorbacks to the 1994 NCAA national championship.

Former Georgia and Rutgers player Maori Davenport had 10 rebounds for UAPB, who out-rebounded Arkansas 50-32.

Rebounding and defense were the keys as the visitors turned a 42-32 halftime deficit around by outscoring the hosts 42-28 after intermission, including 14-9 in the final quarter.

Arkansas freshman guard Taliah Scott had a game-high 31 points, but 23 of those came in the first half beforn Thornton made a defensive adjustment at halftime.

“We knew that we needed to make an adjustment,” Thornton said “…We talked about crushing ball screens, but that really didn’t work the way we wanted to (in the first half). We worked on some different actions with players coming off of ball screens and that was a minor adjustment. But we needed to be able to be in the locker room to walk through and go over it.

“So when the girls could see it being done at halftime, they just came out and executed it.”

The Razorbacks stated out game cold but went on a spree in which it hit 9 3-pointers in a row – Scott knocking down 5 of 7 during that run.

But Arkansas finished the game 13 of 34 overall from 3-point range, meaning they were just 4 of 25 outside of that one spree.

Saylor Poffenbarger’s 3-pointer with 1:36 left cut Arkansas’ deficit to 71-70, but Demetria Shephard’s 3-pointer with 1:11 was the dagger and gave her 12 points in the contest.

“She (Shephard) is deadly from the corner and there was no doubt in my mind that shot was not going to go in,” Thornton said. “That is her shot.”

It came off an offensive rebound, which was the theme of the day instead of Christmas attire.

“I think it deflated us, got their crowd into it, got their kids into it and you could hear them on the floor talking about the next defensive possession,” Neighbors said.

“…I thought they handled the moments better. It was very deflating. I felt the air leave the building, I felt the air leave our bench. I felt the air leave DJ Derrick. All of us.”

Makayla Daniels added 16 points and Poffenbarger 13 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Arkansas will return to action Saturday at 12:30 p.m. against Samford at North Little Rock’s Simmons Arena.

The game of a doubleheader in North Little Rock as the Arkansas men’s team will take on Lipscomb at 5 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Arkansas communications