Willits, Cherry lift UA women

JOHN D. FERGUSON
SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

TULSA -- This was just what Arkansas needed before beginning a difficult SEC schedule.
The Lady Razorbacks used a blend of speed and deadeye shooting Thursday night to defeat Tulsa 80-62 before 1,228 fans in the Reynolds Center. The victory ended a two-game losing streak for Arkansas (9-2) and a three-game winning streak for Tulsa (4-6).
The Lady Razorbacks shot 61 percent from the field in the first half, but Coach Gary Blair said he thought his team's defense was even better.
Arkansas junior Wendi Willits, who's from Fort Cobb, Okla., limited Tulsa's leading scorer, Kasie Pittman, to 2-of-8 shooting from the field and 4 points, 10 below her average. Willits also finished with 19 points, including two three-pointers.
"Wendi Willits shut down their leading scorer," Blair said. "No one asked her about her defense, but she just held their top player to only four points.
"She scored the points, yes, but she played a complete game."
Willits wasn't Arkansas' only offensive weapon.
Lonniya Bragg, who went down hard early in the game but returned with a heavily taped knee, scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. It was her second game this season with at least 10 of each.
Arkansas freshman Dana Cherry also played a season-high 37 minutes and finished with 16 points and 5 steals.
"I was really tired at the end, but I had to gut it out," Cherry said. "That's what a player has to do."
Tulsa Coach Kathy McConnell-Miller said she thought Cherry was the difference.
"I thought Dana Cherry took control of the game," McConnell-Miller said. "She scored, got rebounds, and took Carla Morrow out of the game."
Blair said he had no choice but to play Cherry so much. Freshman Lakishia Harper didn't dress out because of a stress fracture in her left foot, Celia Anderson is still under the weather, and Bragg left the game for six minutes to recover from her hard fall.
"I don't think she's played that many minutes in her life," Blair said. "But we needed her, and she responded."
Arkansas built a 47-34 halftime lead and was in no danger of losing. Tulsa pulled within 12 only four more times in the second half before an 8-2 run with 8:40 left put Arkansas up 70-52.
Arkansas finished by hitting 51 percent from the field on 35 of 69 attempts. Tulsa managed 46 percent on 26 of 57 attempts.
Lila Osceola led the Hurricane with 15 points. Morrow chipped in 12, and Denise Wagner had the best overall game with 11 points and 9 rebounds.
Blair said it was important to win after losing two in a row, but he knows it only gets more difficult from here. Arkansas plays host to George Washington on Monday night before tackling a monster SEC run, beginning Jan. 10 at Tennessee.
"We still have to get a whole lot better," Blair said. "Their press wasn't that effective, and that built up our shooting percentage in the first half. We should shoot 61 percent from 6 inches away."

This article was published on Friday, December 31, 1999

RETURN to Razorback Report