Defense and depth carry Arkansas in Musick’s debut as Jones, Robinson lead Oklahoma contingent
By Troy Littledeer | @candyminksprings
Kelsi Musick’s first game as Arkansas head coach ended 100-42, but the number that defined Oct. 30 at Bud Walton Arena was not on the scoreboard.
It was 33.
That is how many times the Razorbacks forced Arkansas-Fort Smith into turning the ball over. Arkansas recorded 13 steals and converted those takeaways into 36 points. UAFS, a Division II program, generated six points off Arkansas’s 19 turnovers. The margin was not a coincidence. It was a method.
Musick, a Canton, Oklahoma native in her first season after arriving in March, came to Fayetteville known for offense. Her track record includes teams that rank nationally in scoring. Thursday her team held serve on defense first.
“I loved our intensity,” Musick said. “My girls played extremely hard for 40 minutes, and that’s what I expected. The energy, the effort, the passion, the intensity — those were expectations that I definitely were fulfilled.”
She wants to average at least 85 points a game. The Razorbacks scored 100 in an exhibition. The free throws, however, were a problem. Arkansas shot 27-of-42 from the line, 64 percent.
“We miss a lot of free throws,” senior guard Taleyah Jones said. “I know she was upset about that, so it’s just something we need to focus on.”
Jones led all scorers with 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds. The Broken Arrow, Oklahoma native and Cherokee Nation citizen went 10-for-11 from the free-throw line herself, doing more than her part to offset the team’s struggles there. A transfer from Oral Roberts University, Jones is one of several Oklahoma-born players Musick brought into the program.
Another is Emily Robinson, a Caddo High School graduate from Bokchito, Oklahoma and a citizen of the Choctaw Nation. Robinson came off the bench and scored 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including two layups that helped settle the starting five after early ball-handling struggles.
Jones did not need a box score to describe what Robinson means to this team.
“She always brings some fire for this team,” Jones said. “She does the little things. She might score, she might not, but she does everything that we need for this team.”
The early turnovers were concentrated. Jones, Robinson and freshman guard Bonnie Deas combined for 14 of the team’s 19 giveaways. Deas finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and five steals — her defense compensating for the early handle issues. She was relentless in the full court.
“I make it really personal,” Deas said. “And I think defense is just an effort thing. I just like to give 100 percent effort when I’m on the court all the time.”
The bench outscored UAFS 48-6. Six players reached double figures. Arkansas made 33 field goals on 19 assists, scored 48 points in the paint, 14 on fast breaks and 14 off second chances. Junior forward Jenna Lawrence recorded the game’s only double-double — 12 points and a team-high 10 rebounds — and hit a three-pointer during a first-quarter 22-0 run that ended the competitive portion of the evening early.
The rebounding margin was 61-34.
Kansas transfer guard Wyvette Mayberry did not play as she recovers from an injury. Musick said Mayberry is unlikely to be available for the regular season opener but is recovering quickly.
The Razorbacks open at home against Louisiana Tech on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 6:30 p.m.
Troy Littledeer is a journalist and photographer based in Candy Mink Springs, Oklahoma. He is a member of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians and reports on tribal governance, education, and public accountability across Indian Country and surrounding communities. His work centers primary documents and recorded statements, with a focus on tribal law and the public record. But his reporting passion is focusing on real people, sports, and music.
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