Aggies erupt in Arkansas' final home game of season

NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe SHOT ATTEMPT: Arkansas’ Malica Monk (3) attempts a shot in the lane as Texas A&M’s Jasmine Lumpkin (21) and Khaalia Hillsman (00) defend Thursday during the second half of the Razorbacks’ 104-60 loss Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe SHOT ATTEMPT: Arkansas’ Malica Monk (3) attempts a shot in the lane as Texas A&M’s Jasmine Lumpkin (21) and Khaalia Hillsman (00) defend Thursday during the second half of the Razorbacks’ 104-60 loss Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Former Arkansas Women's 1998 Final Four coach Gary Blair returned Thursday night to Walton Arena with the No. 2 Texas A&M Aggies loaded with way too much talent and firepower for the Razorback women to cope.

Blair's Aggies (21-8, 10-5 Southeastern Conference) had the game in hand after a 28-17 first quarter increased to 55-33 advantage at halftime. The visitors eventually prevailed, 104-60 after Texas A&M shot 41 of 72, 57 percent.

It marked the season's home finale for the inherited Razorbacks (12-16, 3-12) of first-year coach Mike Neighbors, a former assistant for Blair during his tenure at Arkansas from 1993-2003 before he moved to A&M.

Neighbors, a Final Four coach at Washington, brings Arkansas into Sunday's regular season finale against Vanderbilt (6-23, 2-13) at the Commodores' Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn. The Razorbacks will return to Nashville for Wednesday's start of the SEC Tournament at Bridgestone Arena.

Neighbors said the Aggies, "have a lot to play for" with SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament seedings and "hit us with their best effort. They are really hard to guard, probably the best offensive team in the SEC we've faced."

The Aggies surprised their coach, Blair said, noting how the Razorbacks had played top ten Tennessee (22-6, 10-5) toe-to-toe earlier this season.

"Folks, the last thing we expected was a blowout," Blair said. "But when you shoot like we did, give credit to my team for executing the game plan and sharing the ball."

A&M overpowered Arkansas on the boards, 48-28, and with balanced scoring. Four Aggies starters, Khaalia Hillsman, Anriel Howard, Jasmine Lumpkin and freshman point guard Chennedy Carter each scored double digits before intermission.

For the game, with all easily capable of scoring more but pulled by Blair for the fourth quarter, Carter scored 21 with seven assists and eight rebounds, Lumpkin scored 17, Hillsman 16, and Howard scored 14 points with 14 rebounds, while Danni Williams, four points at half, joining them in double digits scoring 12 in the second half to finish with 16.

Sophomore guard Jailyn Mason, scoring 13 in the first half when she hit 5 of 6 shots, led Arkansas totaling 15 points. Junior guard Malica Monk, of North Little Rock, scored 13, but only hit 3 of 12 shots. Graduate student basketball senior Devin Cosper scored 10. but only hit 3 of 14 in her Bud Walton Arena farewell.

"I thought Mason was the best player on the floor for them," Blair said. "It's a shame this is Cosper's last game here because when she's hot, which the last two games she hasn't been, she's as good as anybody in the league."

Hillsman, 6-5, proved too tall a first-quarter order for Arkansas, scoring nine points in the paint in 10 minutes as A&M led, 28-17, at the quarter's conclusion.

"It's just too hard to guard Khaalia Hillsman," Cosper said. "She's just too big and they'd throw it to her inside and she'd get easy baskets."

"She's really good and coach Blair puts her in position to be successful," Neighbors said. "They are just spaced so good. And (point guard) Carter might not be just the best freshman in the country this year. She might be the best freshman that women's basketball has seen in the last couple of years."

Briefly leading, 10-9, on a Cosper three at 6:04, Arkansas stayed within seven points hailing distance or less in the first quarter until Hillsman's last two baskets inside with 34 and 10 seconds completed the 28-17 first stanza that A&M dominated 16-6 on the boards increased to 30-13 at half.

Hillsman led the first half ,scoring with 13 points but it was Howard, 5-11, leading the first half rebounding already double-doubling with 12 rebounds and 11 points at intermission.

"Anriel Howard is a marvel," Blair said. "Whether she shoots it or somebody else shoots it her first step is to the basket to rebound. The next best rebounder I've ever seen was (former NBA All-Star) Dennis Rodman. I didn't coach him but he was in my P.E. class."

Any notions that the Aggies would coast on their first-half laurels were quickly dispensed. A&M opened the third quarter firing home two threes and a deuce for an 8-0 run en route to closing the third quarter up, 91-47 before Blair cleared his bench.

Despite the drubbing, Neighbors said his team has proven "they are resilient" all season and " our group knows that Sunday is a very winnable game. I think they'll come back tomorrow ready for Vanderbilt."

Sports on 02/24/2018

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