Arkansas women play in Big 12/SEC Challenge

NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe SIDELINE CHAT: Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors directs his players against Abilene Christian Wednesday during the second half in Bud Walton Arena.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe SIDELINE CHAT: Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors directs his players against Abilene Christian Wednesday during the second half in Bud Walton Arena.

FAYETTEVILLE -- After a 5-2 start to the season, the road-tested Arkansas women's basketball team travels to Lawrence, Kansas, to face Kansas as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

The Big 12/SEC Challenge features each team from the Big 12 against 10 SEC teams, and this year's event marks the second season that 10 games will be played. Of the games, five will be hosted by Big 12 teams while the other five will be played at SEC sites.

Mike Neighbors and the Razorbacks are coming off a 79-65 home win over Abilene Christian after four on the road. Sunday's game tips off at 2 p.m. from Allen Fieldhouse, and it will air live on ESPN3.

Malica Monk and Devin Cosper, who are leading the Razorbacks in scoring and ball-handling, have scored in double-digits in each of the Razorbacks' seven games and have helped the Razorbacks rank second nationally in fewest turnovers per game. Monk's 2.6 steals per game and Cosper's 3.6 made distance shots lead the Southeastern Conference.

This marks the fourth year Arkansas has participated in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. The Razorbacks defeated Oklahoma in North Little Rock in the inaugural challenge before falling to No. 5 Texas in Oklahoma City the following year. Last year, Arkansas downed Texas Tech at Bud Walton Arena.

The Jayhawks (6-0) have yet to play a game away from home as Kylee Kopaitch leads the team with 17.8 points per game. Christalah Lyons and Bianna Osorio also average double digits.

Kansas is first in the Big 12 and fourth in the NCAA in field goal defense, holding opponents to 31.3 percent shooting, and they lead the conference in scoring defense as well. The Jayhawks also rank second in three-point defense and three-point field goals made.

Half of the matchups in this year's challenge consist of at least one team that was ranked in the final 2016--2017 USA Today coaches' poll, and last season, the SEC went 6-4 against the Big 12 in the challenge.

Sports on 12/02/2017

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