Arkansas
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (11/05/2026) — The Arkansas Razorbacks rolled to an 89-59 season-opening win over the Northwestern State Lady Demons at Bud Walton Arena on Thursday night, a 51-35 rebounding advantage and a 34-19 turnover differential powering a commanding result before 12,370 fans.
How It Happened
Arkansas controlled the opening action when Kyiah Prestridge converted a tip-in layup just 33 seconds in. Northwestern State kept pace through the early minutes, and Stephie Salumu's layup off a Delora Pricop assist gave the Lady Demons a brief 10-9 edge at the 5:29 mark of the first quarter.
The Razorbacks answered immediately. Daniah Trammell's 9-foot turnaround jumper at 4:28 put Arkansas back in front at 11-10, and they never trailed again. Beautiful Waheed knocked down a 24-foot three-pointer at 3:04 to push the margin to 16-10, and D'Asia Thomas-Harris capped a dominant quarter with a tip-in layup at the 39-second mark, sending Arkansas into the second period up 25-12.
Thomas-Harris struck again to open the second quarter, extending the run to 11-0 and stretching the lead to 27-12. Northwestern State trimmed the gap before Whitley Rogers took over late in the half. Rogers hit a 25-foot three-pointer with 1:04 remaining, then buried another from 24 feet at the buzzer off a Grace McCallop assist to send Arkansas into the break with a 43-23 lead.
Salumu provided Northwestern State its most sustained push of the night in the third quarter, drilling back-to-back three-pointers — both set up by KP Parr assists — to slice the deficit from 17 to 10 at 45-35. Arkansas responded decisively. Jianna Morris nailed a 25-foot three off a Rogers assist at 4:38, Parr countered from beyond the arc, and Kateri Poole drilled a buzzer-beater to close the period at 66-43. In the fourth, Emily Robinson punctuated the win with a 24-foot three-pointer at 1:02 that extended the advantage to 89-58, before Karma Wynn closed the final score at the free-throw line.
Turning Point
The late first-quarter surge that produced an 11-0 run — transforming a 16-12 margin into a 27-14 lead — proved the decisive sequence. Waheed's three put Northwestern State on the defensive, and Thomas-Harris's consecutive baskets, capped by a tip-in at the 39-second mark, turned a game still in question into a comfortable runway. Whitley Rogers' back-to-back three-pointers to end the first half then extinguished whatever path remained for the Lady Demons, turning a 20-point lead at the break into the dominant margin that held through the final 20 minutes.
Star of the Game
Emily Robinson led all Arkansas scorers with 18 points, adding 3 rebounds and 2 assists in a composed, full-game effort. She contributed during the first-quarter surge, finished with a punctuation-mark three-pointer from 24 feet late in the fourth, and provided steady production throughout.
Whitley Rogers was equally influential, posting 16 points and a team-high 5 assists. Her consecutive three-pointers to end the first half — including a 24-footer at the buzzer off a McCallop assist — were the knockout blow, turning a manageable advantage into a rout before halftime. Kyiah Prestridge contributed 9 points and hauled down a team-high 9 rebounds, nearly matching her point total on the glass alone.
For Northwestern State, KP Parr delivered the game's top individual performance with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists — including both assists on Salumu's third-quarter three-pointers that briefly reignited the Lady Demons. Salumu finished with 12 points and was effective in stretches, particularly during Northwestern State's third-quarter charge.
What It Means
Arkansas made a strong early statement for the 2026 season, demonstrating the rebounding physicality and ball security that will be central to their SEC campaign. Collecting 51 rebounds to Northwestern State's 35 while generating turnovers at nearly a 2-to-1 rate underscored the gap in depth and physicality between the two programs on this night.
For Northwestern State, the 42% field goal shooting and Parr's 20-point effort showed genuine offensive capability. The 34 turnovers, however, negated any sustained momentum and made it nearly impossible to stay competitive against an SEC opponent playing in front of a full home arena.
