STARKVILLE, Miss — The Arkansas women's basketball team continued to see their NCAA Tournament dreams slip away in a 87-73 loss to Mississippi State. It was the Hogs third straight loss and eighth in their last ten games.
Coming into the game ESPN's latest bracketology had the Razorbacks as the first team out of the big dance. Thursday's loss only moves the team further away from being selected to the field of 64.
Mississippi State started the game on a 12-1 run shooting 83% to force an early timeout from Mike Neighbors. The Bulldogs led 25-9 after the first. The Hogs shot 23% from the field and were 1-6 from the free throw line in the opening frame.
Arkansas trailed by 19 points at halftime with Samara Spencer scoring 16 of the team's 30 points. The Hogs were firing away from beyond the arc but couldn't get anything to fall going 4-17.
The Bulldogs were able to maintain their lead into the fourth, but the Hogs opened the final quarter on an 8-2 run. Arkansas trailed 70-57 with seven minutes to play.
Spencer was up to a game high 23 points. The Hogs were unable to get closer than that dropping their third straight game.
Arkansas will return to Bud Walton Arena for the regular season finale Sunday at 11 a.m. against Texas A&M.