The Arkansas women’s basketball team began the 2026-27 season in dominant fashion Monday night, defeating LSU New Orleans 127-48 at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks set several program records during the historic opener.
Arkansas’ 127 points are the most scored in a single game in program history, surpassing the previous mark set in 1987 by 12 points. The 79-point margin of victory tied a program record first achieved in 1977. Additionally, the Razorbacks forced 51 turnovers, shattering the prior record of 43 recorded in 1990.
Senior forward Ayianna Johnson led Arkansas with 23 points off the bench. Freshman guard Kyiah Prestridge had an impressive collegiate debut, recording 22 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double. A balanced team performance saw six players finish in double figures, with all 13 Razorbacks who played contributing at least two points and one rebound.
The starting lineup featured freshmen Kyiah Prestridge and Whitley Rogers alongside seniors Jianna Morris, Emily Robinson, and D’Asia Thomas-Harris. Thomas-Harris scored the first points of the season with a step-back jumper less than two minutes into the game and quickly helped the Razorbacks establish their lead. A transition layup by Rogers gave Arkansas their first advantage at the 8:29 mark, and from there, they controlled the rest of the contest.
After a closely contested first five minutes, LSU New Orleans struggled with a two-minute scoring drought, which Arkansas capitalized on with an 8-0 run. The Razorbacks closed the first quarter strongly, leading 34-14 after a three-pointer from Kateri Poole. By halftime, Arkansas had built a commanding 64-28 lead, with Johnson scoring 10 points in the second quarter alone.
The offensive dominance continued in the second half. The Razorbacks entered the fourth quarter on the brink of the all-time single-game scoring record, leading 98-39. Arkansas eclipsed the mark in the final period, with freshman guard Julija Matic driving to the basket to score the record-breaking 116th point with 2:42 remaining. Matic added another three-pointer in the closing seconds, helping seal the team’s historic performance.
Seventy-one of Arkansas’ 127 points came from bench players. Other notable performances included Daniah Trammell’s 17 points, Thomas-Harris’ 12 points, and 10 points apiece from Poole and Beautiful Waheed. Waheed opened both the second and fourth quarters with three-pointers, contributing to an Arkansas offense that shot effectively throughout the game.
The Razorbacks’ defensive effort was equally noteworthy. Arkansas converted turnovers into 71 points and held LSU New Orleans under 50 points. The Privateers managed to score their final basket with seven seconds left to stop Arkansas from achieving their largest-ever margin of victory outright.
Arkansas now looks to carry this record-setting momentum into the rest of the season as they prepare to face tougher competition in the weeks ahead.