Grambling State Williams notches career high in loss at Arkansas

ESPN3 GAME VIDEO REPLAY

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas --| Ariel Williams scored a career-high 16 points, but it wasn't enough as the Grambling State University women's basketball team couldn't overcome a strong second quarter by Arkansas in a 79-62 loss on Thursday night at Bud Walton Arena.

Grambling State (3-8) trailed 15-11 entering the second quarter, but Arkansas (9-4) outscored the Lady Tigers, 25-12, to take a 40-23 advantage into the half.

Williams paced Grambling State with 16 points, on 6-of-12 shooting, with three rebounds and three assists. Monisha Neal added nine points and seven rebounds.

Devin Cosper led Arkansas with 16 points, four boards and three assists. Raven Northcross-Baker tallied 14 points and four rebounds, while Kiara Williams recorded a double-double of 12 points and a game-high 16 boards. Malica Monk also added a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 10 assists.

Turning Point
Arkansas opened with a 4-0 run, capped by a Jailyn Mason 3-pointer with 8:27 remaining, but Grambling State battled back and cut the deficit to 9-8 after a Jazmine Torian trey with 3:50 left in the first quarter.

The Razorbacks outscored the Lady Tigers over the final three and a half minutes, 6-3, to take a 15-11 advantage into the second quarter.

Arkansas began the second frame with a 14-2 run to take a 29-13 advantage after a Mason 3-pointer with 5:13 left in the first half. The Razorbacks stretch the lead to 40-23 as the teams headed into the break.

Grambling State trailed by as many as 24 points in the final quarter, but were able to cut the margin to 73-58 and trimmed the deficit to 73-60 with 2:23 left, but that would be as close as the Lady Tigers would get.

Inside the Numbers
· Grambling State shot 37.9 percent (25-of-66) from the field and 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from the free-throw line.
· Arkansas was 25-of-66 (37.9 percent) shooting and 18-of-27 (66.7 percent) from the charity stripe.
· The Lady Tigers finished with 35 rebounds, including 25 off the defensive glass.
· The Razorbacks tallied 48 rebounds, with 18 coming on the offensive glass.
· Grambling State scored 44 bench points, 26 points in the paint, 15 points off turnovers and 10 second-chance points.
· Arkansas added 33 bench points, 22 points in the paint, 18 points off turnovers and 11 second-chance points.

BOX SCORE

News & Notes
· Grambling State concludes the 2017 portion of its schedule at 3-8 (wins over Louisiana-Monroe, McNeese and Southeastern Louisiana).
· The Lady Tigers ended the year with five straight road games (one of which was a neutral contest).
· Ariel Williams' previous game-high was nine points against Memphis

Up Next
Grambling State will open the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) schedule on Jan. 1 at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center as Alabama A&M comes to town. Tip-off against the Lady Bulldogs is set for Noon.

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