CONWAY — Over the past two seasons the Central Arkansas women's basketball team has not only rewritten, but expanded, the school record book.
On Thursday night, they'll write another chapter – hosting a game in the school's first Division I national postseason tournament when they take on UAB at 7 p.m. in the Farris Center in the first round of the Women's Basketball Invitational.
The Blazers (16-15), seeded No. 2 in the East side of the WBI bracket, finished 7-9 in Conference USA this season and are making their first postseason appearance since the 2007 WNIT.
The Sugar Bears (21-11) enter as the 7th seed out of the eight teams in the East as they make their first postseason tournament appearance since the 2005 NCAA Division II Tournament, where they advanced to the national semifinals.
It will be the first meeting between the teams. The teams have one common opponent this season in Belmont, which defeated the Sugar Bears 78-73 in the Farris Center back on Nov. 27. The Blazers defeated Belmont 61-37 in Birmingham on Dec. 5.
The Sugar Bears last played a C-USA opponent last season, defeating Tulsa 86-77 in the Farris Center on Dec. 1, 2009.
UCA enters the game winning six of its last seven, having had its six-game winning streak snapped in the finals of the Southland Conference tournament in a 71-50 loss to McNeese State. UAB was knocked out of the C-USA tournament in the quarterfinals, losing 51-47 to eventual champion Central Florida after beating Marshall 56-45 in the opening round.
The Blazers are led by 5-foot-7 sophomore guard Amber Jones, who averages 11.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Amanda Peterson, a 5-10 senior guard, averages 10.5 points per game for UAB, which is averaging just 58.8 per game for the season. Defensively, they give up just 55.7 per game.
The Blazers have six players listed at 6-foot or taller on their roster, with 6-5 junior center Meagan Brown the tallest of the bunch. Brown leads UAB in rebounding at 5.6 per game.
UAB has 10 players averaging at least 11 minutes per game and only one above 27 – Peterson at 31.1 per game. Peterson is the Blazers' leading 3-point shooter, having made 87 of 225 (38.7 percent) this season. UCA's leader is Micah Rice at 50 of 144 (34.7 percent). The Sugar Bears have eight active players to hit at least 10 3-pointers this season while the Blazers have just four.
UCA will be looking to get Megan Herbert, the 2010-11 Southland Conference Player of the Year, back on track after a rocky Southland tournament. Herbert was held scoreless in the first half of each of the Sugar Bears' wins over Stephen F. Austin and Lamar, and was held to just three points and four rebounds in the overtime win against the Lady Cardinals. For the tournament she averaged 9.7 points and 7.7 rebounds – well below her season averages of 17.3 and 10.8.
At the same time, they will be hoping for a continued hot streak from sophomore forward Desiree' Rogers, who was named to the Southland All-Tournament team after averaging 13.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Rogers had a season-high 24 points and career-high 15 rebounds in the win over SFA and followed with 14 rebounds in the Lamar game.
The winner of Thursday night's game will advance to play the winner of the Elon-SC Upstate game.
Tickets for Thursday's game are $5 for general admission, $10 for reserved seating and $15 for courtside seats. Thanks to sponsorships throughout the local community, UCA students will be admitted free. To order tickets, visit ucasports.com or call 501-852-2234.
