Lady Razorbacks keep it going

ROB KEYS
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas celebrated a sweet 16 party Monday night.
Wendi Willits scored 13 of her game-high 27 points during a 31-9 first-half run as Arkansas beat Brigham Young 93-73 before 2,052 at Walton Arena, extending the Lady Razorbacks' winning streak in home openers to 16 games.
The Lady Razorbacks (4-3) have won all seven home openers played at Walton Arena, and haven't lost one since a 75-52 defeat to Louisiana Tech in 1983.
Seven different players scored during the first-half run, which took place over a span of 9:13. Willits, who needs 19 three-pointers to become Arkansas' all-time leader, started the spurt with a three-pointer from the top of the key, and hit two more over the next 2:51 as Arkansas built a 22-11 lead.
"I was just excited to be back and playing in front of our fans, just giving something to see from this team, because this is a great team," said Willits, who made 9 of 12 shots, including 5 of 6 from three-point range.
Hot Springs freshman Shameka Christon, who scored 14 points, sank 3 of 4 free throws to cap the run and give Arkansas a 43-20 lead 2:23 before halftime. Brigham Young (4-2) didn't get closer than 14 points the rest of the way.
"Another key in the ballgame was that Shameka Christon gave us a lot of energy," Arkansas Coach Gary Blair said. "Hopefully that was her breakout game."
Erin Thorn led a brief Brigham Young charge to open the second half, making the Cougars' first three baskets to trim Arkansas' lead to 49-35.
Lonniya Bragg answered with back-to-back baskets, however, and by the time Willits made her fifth three-pointer, Arkansas had pushed the lead back to 62-42, and Brigham Young didn't threaten again.
"That's about as perfect of a ballgame as a young lady can play out there," Arkansas Coach Gary Blair said. "You know me, I don't give out a whole lot of praise out there ... but it's hard to find anything wrong with Wendi tonight."
"She was on fire," Brigham Young Coach Trent Shippen said.
Arkansas, which led by as many as 29 points in the second half, also got 10 points from Pine Bluff sophomore Dana Cherry, and nine each from Bragg and India Lewis.
Arkansas enjoyed its best shooting night of the season, making 36 of 65 shots (55.4 percent), including 8 of 14 three-pointers (57.1 percent). Ten players got at least 10 minutes, and the Lady Razorbacks seemed to be energized playing in the friendly atmosphere of Walton Arena.
"Our kids were really pulling for each other," Blair said. "We talked about having a lively bench. You saw our bench over at Oklahoma State, and it looked like we had lost. We had a good little discussion about that, and our bench today was alive.
"I promised you a better basketball team (after the six-game road trip), and I know a lot of people were probably doubting me. But when we compete that hard and get that much balance from our kids ... you better enjoy it while you can."
Brigham Young was led by Thorn's 24 points. Kaly Shippen added 15, Stacy Jensen 11 and Lisa Osguthorpe 10.
Thorn entered Monday's game averaging 20.4 points per game but struggled to get untracked in the first half, when she scored just five points on 2-of-4 shooting.
Arkansas plays at Dayton at 6 p.m. on Thursday before beginning a four-game homestand that includes a Dec. 21 date with Harvard at Alltel Arena in North Little Rock.

This article was published on December 5, 2000

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