FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (Interstat) — In a Southeastern Conference women’s basketball clash defined by offensive firepower and a tense final minute, the Missouri Tigers outlasted the Arkansas Razorbacks 87-82 on Thursday night at Bud Walton Arena.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 2,079, was a stark contrast to the teams’ meeting just three weeks prior, when Missouri secured a 94-69 victory. This rematch was a tightly contested affair that saw 14 lead changes and 10 ties, with neither team leading by more than seven points.

Missouri improved to 16-9 overall and 5-6 in the SEC, while Arkansas fell to 11-13 and 2-9.

The contest was ultimately decided by superior efficiency. Despite both teams having 80 possessions, Missouri’s offense proved more potent, converting at a rate of 109.4 points per 100 possessions compared to Arkansas’s 102.8. The Tigers shot 50.8% from the field, including 37.5% from three-point range, while the Razorbacks managed just 40.3% overall and 32.6% from deep. Arkansas attempted 16 more field goals but made the same number as Missouri, 31.

The back-and-forth battle saw Arkansas take a 22-19 lead after the first quarter, fueled by early three-pointers from Taleyah Jones and Wyvette Mayberry. Missouri responded with a strong second quarter, outscoring the Razorbacks 22-16 to take a 41-38 lead into halftime.

The third quarter was the highest-scoring period of the night, with Arkansas pouring in 26 points to Missouri’s 25. A driving layup by Emily Robinson gave the Razorbacks a 64-63 lead heading into the final frame, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

The fourth quarter featured seven lead changes. With just over a minute remaining and Missouri clinging to an 81-79 lead, the game’s most critical sequence unfolded. Arkansas’s Taleyah Jones was fouled on a three-point attempt and calmly sank all three free throws to give the Razorbacks an 82-81 advantage with 58 seconds left.

Missouri’s response was immediate. On the ensuing possession, Shannon Dowell drove and scored a layup to put the Tigers back ahead 83-82. Arkansas then missed three opportunities to reclaim the lead on its next trip. Wyvette Mayberry blocked an Abbey Schreacke layup attempt, but the Razorbacks came up empty on the other end, with Jones missing a three-pointer and Harmonie Ware missing a tip-in.

Missouri’s Grace Slaughter secured the defensive rebound and was fouled with six seconds left. She made the first free throw to extend the lead to 84-82 but missed the second. Arkansas’s Bonnie Deas grabbed the rebound, but her rushed three-point attempt to tie the game missed everything. Schreacke secured the rebound for Missouri, was fouled, and made one of two free throws for an 85-82 lead with three seconds left.

Arkansas called timeout to advance the ball, but Missouri’s defense held firm. A final three-point heave by Jones was off the mark, and Dowell grabbed the defensive rebound, was fouled, and sank two free throws with less than a second remaining to seal the five-point victory.

Dowell, a guard from O’Fallon, Illinois, led all scorers with 25 points in 30 minutes, adding three assists. Slaughter, a forward from Grain Valley, Missouri, was a force inside, scoring 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting, grabbing a key late rebound, and blocking a shot while playing the entire 40 minutes. Schreacke added 17 points for the Tigers.

Arkansas was led by Jones, who scored 24 points, and Mayberry, who added 19 points, three assists, a steal and a block. Robinson facilitated the offense with 17 points and five assists.

Missouri won despite being out-assisted 7-5, out-rebounded on the offensive glass 9-3, and committing 13 turnovers to Arkansas’s 8. The Tigers compensated with better shooting from the field and the free-throw line, where they made 13 of 18 attempts compared to Arkansas’s 6 of 8.

The victory gave Missouri a regular-season sweep of the Razorbacks and moved the Tigers above .500 in conference play as they prepare to host Georgia on Sunday. Arkansas will look to snap a three-game losing streak when it travels to Florida, also on Sunday.