Arkansas tops Memphis, heads to Kansas State
Derek Oxford
Issue date: 12/5/08 Section: Sports
It didn't look like there was a need to shake off any rust Wednesday night at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.
Arkansas (6-1) played its most complete game of the season, defeating Memphis 76-69 after coming off a Thanksgiving break trip to the Bahamas for the Junkanoo Jam.
Ceira Ricketts and Whitney Jones each posted double-doubles for the Razorbacks, who are the only team to beat Memphis at home this season.
The double-doubles by Ricketts and Jones are a season-first by an Arkansas pair.
"It wasn't pretty, but it was a good road win in an arena with a spirited crowd," Arkansas coach Tom Collen said. "I hope that we got better as a team. When the game got tight, their crowd came up and we had to work against that."
Arkansas employed the entire sum of its parts to defeat the Tigers, who proved to be a tough out even when the Razorbacks led by nine with around four minutes to play.
"We found a way to win," Collen said. "We got off to a slow start from behind the arc and we were a little surprised when they opened in zone against us."
Arkansas had 11 first-half steals, and freshman Ricketts, coming off Southeastern Conference Rookie of the Week honors, had three of her own.
Ricketts also got Jones into the act early with assists that gave Jones easy shots in the paint.
It was tied 13-13 midway through the first half before Lyndsay Harris and Brittney Richardson keyed a 5-0 Razorback run.
Ricketts and Shanita Arnold then used defensive pressure in the backcourt to force Memphis turnovers that Arkansas converted into points, and the Razorbacks took an 11-point lead with two minutes to play in the half.
Arkansas would go into intermission up 36-28.
Coming out of the break, the Razorbacks let Memphis (5-3) back into game, and the Tigers cut the lead to five before Richardson drained a 3-pointer and Ricketts got a steal and lay-up.
"Our defense has to set the tempo for our offense," Collen said. "We had some foolish turnovers ourselves to keep them close."
Arkansas (6-1) played its most complete game of the season, defeating Memphis 76-69 after coming off a Thanksgiving break trip to the Bahamas for the Junkanoo Jam.
Ceira Ricketts and Whitney Jones each posted double-doubles for the Razorbacks, who are the only team to beat Memphis at home this season.
The double-doubles by Ricketts and Jones are a season-first by an Arkansas pair.
"It wasn't pretty, but it was a good road win in an arena with a spirited crowd," Arkansas coach Tom Collen said. "I hope that we got better as a team. When the game got tight, their crowd came up and we had to work against that."
Arkansas employed the entire sum of its parts to defeat the Tigers, who proved to be a tough out even when the Razorbacks led by nine with around four minutes to play.
"We found a way to win," Collen said. "We got off to a slow start from behind the arc and we were a little surprised when they opened in zone against us."
Arkansas had 11 first-half steals, and freshman Ricketts, coming off Southeastern Conference Rookie of the Week honors, had three of her own.
Ricketts also got Jones into the act early with assists that gave Jones easy shots in the paint.
It was tied 13-13 midway through the first half before Lyndsay Harris and Brittney Richardson keyed a 5-0 Razorback run.
Ricketts and Shanita Arnold then used defensive pressure in the backcourt to force Memphis turnovers that Arkansas converted into points, and the Razorbacks took an 11-point lead with two minutes to play in the half.
Arkansas would go into intermission up 36-28.
Coming out of the break, the Razorbacks let Memphis (5-3) back into game, and the Tigers cut the lead to five before Richardson drained a 3-pointer and Ricketts got a steal and lay-up.
"Our defense has to set the tempo for our offense," Collen said. "We had some foolish turnovers ourselves to keep them close."
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