Jessica Jackson expected to return for next game

Jessica Jackson (right) of Arkansas collides with Bridget Arens of South Dakota Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016, during the second half of play in Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.
Jessica Jackson (right) of Arkansas collides with Bridget Arens of South Dakota Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016, during the second half of play in Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas senior forward Jessica Jackson will play against Vanderbilt Thursday night in Walton Arena, Coach Jimmy Dykes said, after the team's leading scorer sat out the Razorbacks' 68-50 victory at Alabama last Saturday.

"She's back with us and I expect her to play really well tomorrow night," Dykes said Wednesday..

Jackson dressed out for the Alabama game and went through warmups, but never got off the bench.

"It was just a one-game decision by me not to play her based upon what I know she's capable of doing," Dykes said. "I'm not going to let her do anything less than I know she's capable of being.

"She's been having a really, really good senior year, and she'll continue to have a really good senior year now going forward."

Arkansas (12-6, 1-4 SEC) plays Vanderbilt (10-8, 0-5) at 7 p.m. Thursday in Walton Arena.

Jackson, a preseason All-SEC player, started Arkansas' first 17 games and is averaging team-highs of 15.8 points and 6.4 rebounds.

Dykes said he's not sure if Jackson will start against Vanderbilt.

"I don't know who's starting yet tomorrow," he said. "I know it sounds like coachspeak, but we know how practice went yesterday and we'll see how it goes today, and the five we think deserve to start will start Thursday night. And our young ladies know that."

Dykes said Jackson has responded well in practice after not playing against Alabama.

"I expect Jessica Jackson to have a great game tomorrow night and going forward," Dykes said. "Absolutely."

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