WBB Preview: Arkansas hosts SEMO on Sunday

FAYETTEVILLE – The Razorback women’s basketball team (5-5) will host Southeast Missouri State (1-5) on Sunday afternoon in Bud Walton Arena. Tipoff is set for 2:00 p.m. inside Bud Walton Arena with Josh Haley (play-by-play) and Matt Zimmerman (analyst) on the SEC Network Plus call.

Arkansas is coming off a big win against Boston College, one of the SEC’s 10 wins in this year’s SEC/ACC Challenge. Senior guard Izzy Higginbottom dropped a career-high 38 points and became the third Razorback with three straight 25+ point games in the last 25 years.

The Redhawks are coming off a 68-65 loss to Indiana State last Saturday. SEMO led 65-60 with just over a minute left to go in regulation before an 8-0 run by the Sycamores sealed the deal for the visitors.

Game Info
Opponent: SEMO (1-5, 0-0 OVC)
Tipoff: 2:00 p.m. CT, Sunday, Dec. 8
TV/Streaming: SEC Network+
Radio: Listen | RSN Affiliates
Live Stats: Click here

Arkansas
Head Coach: Mike Neighbors
Record at Arkansas: 143-97 (eighth season)
Career Record: 241-138 (12th)
Leading Scorer: Izzy Higginbottom (24.1 PPG)
Leading Rebounder: Jenna Lawrence (7.6 RPG)

SEMO
Head Coach: Briley Palmer
Record at BC: 1-5 (first season)
Career Record: Same
Leading Scorer: Zoe Best (12.8 PPG)
Leading Rebounder: Kennedy Claybrooks (4.8 RPG)

Game Notes

• Arkansas will face SEMO for only the second time in program history. The two teams first met in 2014 in Albuquerque, N.M. where the Hogs won 88-37.
• Izzy Higginbottom has cemented herself as one of the best scorers in the NCAA through the first nine games and ranks No. 5 in the country and first in the SEC in points per game (24.1) ahead of LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson (22.2). She has been the leading scorer in eight games (Fairfield, Little Rock, UTA, UCLA, ORU, OSU, BGSU, BC) this season.
• She also leads the team and ranks second in the SEC in FT%, going 78-87 (.897) from the charity stripe. Higginbottom leads the SEC and ranks second in the NCAA in FTA (87) and FTM (78). She’s been perfect from the line in four games (ETA&M, LR, UCLA, BGSU) this season.
• Higginbottom exploded for a career-high 38 points against Boston College, the most points by a Razorback since Chelsea Dungee dropped 41 against Auburn in 2019.
• Sophomore guard Kiki Smith has established herself as a key scoring threat for Arkansas. The Topeka, Kan. native has 10+ points in 8 of 10 games and has started every game this season.
• Smith paced Arkansas with 22 points in its first win of the season against East Texas A&M.  She went 8-9 from FG and the lone miss was in the fourth quarter. From beyond the arc, Kiki ranks third in the SEC and 14th in the NCAA with 27 3s.

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