ActivePaper Archive UA women hopeful Ramirez, wins return - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette NW, 1/14/2021

UA women hopeful Ramirez, wins return

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Arkansas senior Amber Ramirez, who averages 12.5 points per game and is one of the Razorbacks’ best three-point shooters, will be a game-time decision tonight against Florida after suffering a concussion. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/David Gottschalk)

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Arkansas Coach Mike Neighbors has led the Razorbacks to victories in two of the past three games against Florida, their opponent tonight. They previously had lost 8 of 9 to the Gators. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/David Gottschalk)

Women’s basketball

FLORIDA AT NO. 16 ARKANSAS

WHEN 7:30 p.m. today WHERE Walton Arena, Fayetteville RECORDS Florida 7-5, 0-4 SEC; Arkansas 10-4, 1-3

TV SEC Network

FAYETTEVILLE — Coach Mike Neighbors said it’s a game-time decision whether senior Amber Ramirez is available tonight when No. 16 University of Arkansas plays host to Florida at Walton Arena.

The Razorbacks (10-4, 1-3 SEC) hope to be at full strength after losing three of its first four league games. The tip time was shifted from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. because of television and will now be broadcast on the SEC Network.

Ramirez missed Sunday’s 74-73 loss to No. 7 Texas A&M because of a concussion. She returned to practice Tuesday with no contact and was cleared for full practice Wednesday. The 5-9 guard averages 12.5 points per game and ranks sixth in the country in three-point field goals made (34).

Neighbors acknowledged his team’s confidence took a hit with double-digit losses at Kentucky and Tennessee, but he felt like the players responded in the loss to the Aggies.

“Some people let all the ‘attaboys’ and ‘attagirls’ get to them,” Neighbors said. “It didn’t change the way they played or how they prepared. All it changed is a little bit of lack of self-awareness.

“Just because we have this ranking beside us doesn’t mean winning at Kentucky is any easier. They were picked ahead of you in the preseason. Our group really responded. I think we played our best game Sunday. It just wasn’t good enough to win.”

The Gators (7-5, 0-4) also have had a tough beginning to SEC play. Three of Florida’s four losses have come to teams ranked in the top 15 nationally, and there’s similarities with the personnel on the Razorbacks.

“Watching them on film, it’s almost like watching a self scout,” Neighbors said. “Watching Lavender Briggs is like watching Chelsea [Dungee]. [Nina] Rickards is like watching [Destiny] Slocum.

“They are in a really tough situation like we were where their schedule is really front-end loaded.”

Arkansas split two games with Florida last season with each team winning on its home floor. Neighbors said being at home was the difference. Even though crowds are limited because of the pandemic, being at home could still play in the Razorbacks’ favor, Neighbors said.

“Travel is a lot more impactful this year than it was last year, so road trips are hard,” Neighbors said. “If there’s any advantage at all for [tonight], the only thing is we have to walk across the street and they have to get on a flight and come up here and play.”

The protocols Arkansas has put in place to limit exposure with the virus is difficult to deal with, Neighbors said. He believes spreading out during timeouts, not going into the locker room at halftime and traveling the day of the game all put his team at a disadvantage.

But he also points to the number of games the Razorbacks have been able to play. That’s what’s most important to the players, Neighbors said.

“They’ve learned to deal with it, gained some adversity, gained some trust and take some pride in it,” Neighbors said. “But do I second-guess? Every single day.

“I don’t know the answer and I’m not sure we ever will. You go, ‘Well, could we have gotten one more stop at Kentucky to win the game?’ Yeah, maybe, I don’t know. But if we’d been traveling and sitting on top of each other during all these time outs we might have not gotten to play the game.”

The Razorbacks also won’t have assistant coach Todd Schaefer on the bench because of covid-19 issues, Neighbors said.

“Coach Schaefer’s family has a positive, so he won’t be at the game,” Neighbors said.

Neighbors assumed several of the responsibilities with the defense in Schaefer’s absence, while director of basketball operations Amber Shirey shifted to some coaching duties on the floor this week, he said.

Florida

at No. 16 Arkansas

WHERE Walton Arena, Fayetteville

WHEN 7:30 p.m. today

RECORDS Florida 7-5, 0-4 SEC; Arkansas 10-4, 1-3

SERIES Florida leads 29-11.

RADIO Razorback Sports Network

INTERNET ArkansasRazorbacks.com

TV SEC Network

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS

ARKANSAS

NAME, HT, YR PPG RPG G Destiny Slocum, 5-7, Sr. 15.4 3.6 G Chelsea Dungee, 5-11, Sr. 20.5 3.6 G Amber Ramirez, 5-9, Sr. 12.3 2.7 G Makayla Daniels, 5-8, So. 13.5 3.3 F Taylah Thomas, 6-1, Sr. 4.5 6.2 COACH Mike Neighbors (69-45 in fourth season at Arkansas)

FLORIDA

NAME, HT, YR PPG RPG G Lavendar Briggs, 6-1, So. 17.8 6.2 G Kiara Smith, 5-10, RS Sr. 15.0 6.2 G Kristine Moore, 6-1, Jr. 6.0 2.8 G Nina Rickards, 5-9, So. 9.8 7.6 C Faith Dut, 6-4, So. 6.8 3.3 COACH Cam Newbauer (41-62 in fourth

season at Florida)

TEAM COMPARISON

Arkansas Florida 88.9 Points for 73.7 70.3 Points against 65.1 -3.2 Rebound margin +3.1 +9.0 Turnover margin +2.7 45.0 FG pct. 41.9 37.0 3-pt pct. 29.7 70.8 FT pct. 66.8 CHALK TALK The Razorbacks have won two of the past three meetings against

Florida, but that came after losing eight of nine. … Sophomore Makayla Daniels scored 10 consecutive points in the fourth quarter and a game-high 19 to help the Razorbacks to a 79-57 win over Florida at Walton Arena last season. She had just four in the Razorbacks’ 83-80 loss later in the season.

— Paul Boyd

SEC WOMEN’S REPORT: Aggies look to add to hot start. Page 5C.