Susan Altrui, the director of the Little Rock Zoo, has been named Little Rock’s acting city manager effective Sunday, Jan. 5, according to a spokesperson for Mayor Frank Scott Jr.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas’ Izzy Higginbottom tried to drag the Razorbacks to victory over No. 6 LSU, but the Tigers’ balance was too much too handle. LSU cruised to a 98-64 win to open SEC play. The Hogs fell to 7-9 while LSU improved to 16-0 on the season.
The game happened less than 48 hours after the deadly attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. A moment of silence was paid before the game for the victims.
“You just wish you could do something,” coach Kim Mulkey said postgame. “I thought it was very classy of Arkansas to do that. There were kids from our area, Baton Rouge. I can’t quit thinking about it. It’s so close to home. It just hits you right smack in the face. You get emotional because I cannot imagine those families right now.”
The Razorbacks were limited to a one-person wrecking crew. Guard Izzy Higginbottom, who came into the night No.4 nationally in points per game at 23.8, scored 27 of the Hogs 64 points, including 16 in the first half.
Other players donning the Razorbacks uniform were held to just 31 points and 14-for-46 (30.3%) from the floor. Carly Keats was the team’s second leading scorer at just 18 points, 15 in the fourth quarter of the game where the Hogs were already down by over 40.
LSU used its plethora of talent to blitz Arkansas. The Tigers jumped out to a 16-2 lead. Four different players reached double figures.
Former Razorback Jersey Wolfenbarger just missed out with eight points. The Fort Smith native who played under Neighbors from 2021-2023, averaging just 3.9 in her final season at Arkansas.
Flau’jae Johnson, one of three LSU players on the preseason Naismith Watch List for player of the year, picked up a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Aneesah Morrow had a double-double of her own with 11 points and 10 rebounds as the Tigers outrebounded the Hogs 48-32.
Arkansas will now face another top SEC team in No. 5 Texas on the road. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday. The game will be streamed on SEC+.
Peyton Bolling was crowned Miss America’s Teen 2025 on Saturday night in Orlando, Florida.
Bolling, who competed as Miss Arkansas’ Teen, is from Rogers and attends Bentonville High School. She performed a jazz dance in the pageant’s talent competition on Saturday. The teen pageant — which includes talent, evening gown and on-stage question segments — is part of the Miss America organization.
Along with the title of Miss America’s Teen, Bolling will receive $50,000 in scholarship money and a yearlong reign, according to the Miss America organization. During her year as Miss America’s Teen, Bolling will travel across the country and use her platform to raise awareness about her philanthropic effort, known as Simple Acts of Citizenship. She’ll also serve as a role model for young girls and a brand ambassador for the Miss America’s Teen program.
Ali Mims, Miss Alabama’s Teen, was named first-runner up for Miss America’s Teen on Saturday and earned $10,000 in scholarship money. Mims, from Harpersville, was featured throughout the finals event and performed a soprano aria during the talent competition, singing “O Mio Babbino Caro” (“Oh, my Dear Papa”) from Giacomo Puccini’s 1918 opera “Gianni Schicchi.”
Also, Mims was one of three winners in Tuesday’s evening gown preliminary for Miss America’s Teen, earning a $3,000 scholarship.
Mims is a student at Chelsea High School. Her philanthropic platform for Miss Alabama’s Teen is the Joyful Noise Foundation: Music Education for the Special Needs Community, It raises money to put musical instruments in special needs classes.
A total of 51 teens were in the running for 2025, competing in preliminary events this week and the finals on Saturday at the Walt Disney Theater in Orlando. All had previously been crowned at pageants in their home states or Puerto Rico.
Aside from Bolling and Mims, the top five finalists were:
As runners-up, Bumgarner, Mignucci and Krause each earned $10,000 in scholarship money, according to the Miss America organization. The finals were livestreamed on the Miss America YouTube channel and PageantVision.com.
The top 11 contestants for Miss America’s Teen were:
The undefeated and top-ranked Tennessee Volunteers kick off SEC play at home with a Saturday afternoon matchup against the No. 23 Arkansas Razorbacks. The contest is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. ET with TV coverage on ESPN and streaming on-demand.
#23 Arkansas Razorbacks (11-2) at #1 Tennessee Volunteers (13-0)dd
NCAA men’s basketball matchup at a glance
When: Saturday, Jan. 4 at 1 p.m. ET
Where: Food City Center, Knoxville, Tenn.
TV channel: ESPN
Live streams: FuboTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | DirecTV Stream (free trial)
In a conference that claims seven of the top 17 teams in the most recent of Associated Press national rankings, Tennessee has risen to the top with its perfect start and ability to win on either end of the floor. The Vols rank No. 2 nationally in scoring defense (56.2 ppg), No. 2 in field goal percentage defense (34.7%) and No. 1 in 3-point defense (24.6%).
Arkansas ranks among the most efficient offenses in the country with the fourth-best field goal percentage (51.5%) and 14th-best effective field goal percent (58.3%). The Razorbacks wrapped a competitive non-conference schedule with an 11-2 record, but moved into a January schedule that begins with three straight games against ranked opponents.
Tennessee Vols vs. Arkansas Razorbacks: Know your live streaming options
The Vols and Razorbacks are set for a 1 p.m. ET start on ESPN. Live streams are available from FuboTV (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial) and SlingTV (low intro rate).
January 3, 2025 at 7:49 p.m.
Joseph Flaherty
Susan Altrui, the director of the Little Rock Zoo, has been named Little Rock’s acting city manager effective Sunday, Jan. 5, according to a spokesperson for Mayor Frank Scott Jr.
New Year life lessons from country star: 'Never forget where you came from'
Meta’s ‘software update issue’ has been breaking Quest headsets for weeks
These are the top 7 issues facing the struggling restaurant industry in 2025
'Politics is bad for business.' Why Disney's Bob Iger is trying to avoid hot buttons
The 25 worst losses in college football history, including Baylor’s 2024 entry at Colorado
The top out-of-contract players available as free transfers: Kimmich, De Bruyne, Van Dijk…
New Orleans attacker had 'remote detonator' for explosives in French Quarter, Biden says
Carter's judicial picks reshaped the federal bench across the country