Last-second comeback lifts Lady Razorbacks

ROB KEYS
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Coach Gary Blair recently said that an 0-4 start to the SEC season had put the Lady Razorbacks in a deep hole.
If that's the case, maybe Arkansas' stirring 66-62 victory over Alabama Thursday night in front of 3,229 at Walton Arena will allow the Lady Razorbacks (13-7, 3-4 SEC) to see a little daylight.
Dana Cherry's driving layup with 7.4 seconds to play gave Arkansas a 63-62 lead, and Wendi Willits then hit 3 of 4 free throws to clinch the victory.
Willits' first free throw came after Alabama called a timeout it didn't have following Cherry's layup, resulting in a technical foul.
Willits missed the first free throw, made the second, then added two more after being fouled on Arkansas' ensuing possession.
Alabama Coach Rick Moody called the fatal timeout.
"As a coach, you hate that you did something that kept your players from having a chance to decide the game," Moody said. "I've been coaching 22 years and that's the first time that's ever happened to me. But that's my mistake and I'll regret it until the day I die."
Arkansas entered the game believing it was in a do-or-die contest relative to NCAA Tournament hopes, and for more than 31 minutes, Alabama (13-7, 3-4) looked like it would be the team to shovel dirt on the Lady Razorbacks.
Alabama led by 14 points twice in the second half, and held a 51-39 advantage following LaNisha Cartwell's three-point play with 8:42 remaining.
But Willits scored 10 of her 14 points in the final 6:54 as Arkansas rallied. Willits, who earlier in the game had become the 18th Arkansas player to score 1,000 points in her career, sank a 10-footer from the right baseline to put Arkansas ahead 61-60 with 29.9 seconds remaining. It was Arkansas' first lead since 21-19.
"I knew I had to stay patient because my team couldn't afford any bad shots," said Willits, who was 1 of 4 in the first half. "I just knew that if it was meant to be, that I'd hit the shot when it came down to it."
Joni Crenshaw then answered Willits with a layup off a feed from Boo Barnes to put Alabama up 62-61 with 15 seconds remaining, setting up Cherry's game-winner.
Cherry took a pass from Amy Wright at the top of the key, then sprinted down the right side of the lane for the layup.
"That's her game, so we had the right player in at the right time," Blair said.
Willits then iced the game with her free throws, and Alabama missed a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer.
"In my eyes, this is the best comeback win we've ever had," Blair said.
Karyn Karlin led Arkansas with 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Amy Wright scored a season-high 12.
Sophomore reserve Joy Oakley scored four points and grabbed two rebounds in nine minutes, but those minutes came when Arkansas was making its second-half comeback without junior center Lonniya Bragg, who left the game with an ankle sprain late in the first half.
"This was definitely the hardest game we've played this season," Karlin said. "Every possession was so important, and the thing that was so awesome about it was that everybody stepped up at some point in the game."
Barnes led Alabama with 13 points, and Cartwell had 11.
Arkansas led by as many as eight points, 19-11, in the first half before Alabama put together a late rally to take a 31-24 halftime lead.
Cartwell scored four points during an 8-0 Alabama run that tied the score at 19-19 with 5:07 left in the half, and Crenshaw converted a three-point play to put the Crimson Tide ahead 22-21.
Alabama then outscored Arkansas 9-3 over the final 2:51 of the half for a seven-point halftime cushion.

This article was published on Friday, February 4, 2000

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