OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Samara Spencer scored 26 points, Saylor Poffenbarger had a double-double and No. 21 Arkansas beat No. 16 Creighton 83-75 on Saturday.
Rylee Langerman hit two 3-pointers as the Razorbacks drilled 3s on their last three possessions for a 9-0 run to take a 37-33 lead at the half. They never trailed again. Their largest lead was 11 midway through the fourth quarter. Poffenbarger’s 3 made it 75-65 with 3:08 left.
Six quick points got the Bluejays back in it with 2:29 to go but Arkansas sealed it from the foul line.
Poffenbarger had 16 points and 11 rebounds, making two of the late free throws and Erynn Barnum scored 15 for the Razorbacks (12-0). Makayla Daniels, who had 34 points in the matchup last year when Creighton won 81-72, had 14 after missing the previous three games.
Spencer, last year’s SEC Freshman of the Year, went 5 of 7 from 3-point range as the Razorbacks went 12 of 26 from 3-point range (46%). They shot 47% overall.
Ronsiek added 13 each and Jayme Horan 11.
Creighton put up 35 3-pointers, making just eight (23%) and shot 35% overall. The Bluejays had a 46-36 rebound advantage, led by Carly Bacherlor with 11.
Heading into what could be three-straight games against ranked opponents for both teams, the Bluejays had beaten three ranked teams while Arkansas was facing its first ranked team.
Creighton goes to No. 2 Stanford on Tuesday and then hosts No. 9 UConn in a Big East game on Dec. 28. Arkansas goes to the San Diego Invitational, facing No. 16 Oregon on Tuesday and could meet No. 3 Ohio State on Wednesday.
