Arkansas strolls to big victory thanks to flurry of turnovers

ROB KEYS
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas feasted on a holiday-season cupcake Sunday afternoon.
Freshman Shameka Christon led four Lady Razorbacks with at least 11 points as Arkansas blasted Southeastern Louisiana 97-40 before 3,180 at Walton Arena.
"When was the last time we've had an easy win?" Arkansas Coach Gary Blair said. "I don't remember one."
Playing just its second home game of the season, Arkansas (6-3) forced Southeastern Louisiana (1-4) into a Walton Arena-record 40 turnovers en route to its most lopsided victory since a 98-35 pasting of Texas Southern in 1995.
Lonniya Bragg and Shanna Harmon each scored seven of their 11 points and Wendi Willits added all seven of her points as Arkansas jumped out to a 31-14 lead with 6:59 to play in the first half and never looked back.
The Lady Razorbacks led 48-21 at halftime, largely by converting 23 Southeastern Louisiana turnovers into 25 points.
"We've got new point guards this year ... and they don't know what it's all about yet," Southeastern Louisiana assistant coach Chase Tidwell said. "For us to be in a game like this for more than a half, we have to not turn it over 23 times in the first half."
It was more of the same in the second half, however, as Southeastern Louisiana committed 17 turnovers. Arkansas converted those into 24 points and steadily increased its lead.
Christon led all scorers with 17 points. Sophomore guard Dana Cherry added 13. Junior point guard Amy Wright had a season-high 10 assists.
"She just gives us a tool that we've never had before," Blair said of the 6-2 Christon, who scored inside and outside against the Southeastern Louisiana defense.
Arkansas played all 14 of its players, including redshirt freshman Katrina Nesby and walk-on Carla Rhodes, who scored nine and eight points, respectively.
"I think it's very refreshing when you see Katrina Nesby and Rudy [Rhodes] come in and do such a good job," Blair said. "When you get your time and you produce, man, you feel so good about yourself.
"It's nice to say you've got a lot of kids that got to play, but do you lose your focus? Do you lose your offensive sets or your defensive schemes? We didn't tonight."
Arkansas shot a season-best 58.2 percent (39 of 67) from the field and hit 7 of 16 three-pointers despite a 1-of-7 effort from Willits and an injury to sophomore India Lewis.
Christon made 7 of 10 shots from the field while scoring more than 10 points for the second time in Arkansas' last three games.
"It is nice to have an easy game, because we've been playing on the road, playing hard and getting after it," Christon said. "This game was a time when we could relax, but still at the same time play hard."
Lewis sprained her right wrist in the opening minutes of the first half and did not return. She will be evaluated further today.
Stacey Turner led Southeastern Louisiana with 14 points.
Arkansas has an 11-day break for final exams before a Dec. 21 game with Harvard at North Little Rock's Alltel Arena.

This article was published on December 11, 2000

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