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CONWAY — Not quite halfway through the league schedule, the Southland Conference women's basketball title will not be decided Saturday at the Farris Center. But there will be a championship game feel when Central Arkansas hosts McNeese State at 2 p.m. in a rematch of last season's Southland tournament final, as the league's top two teams square off in a battle for position atop the standings.
In what could be the most pivotal regular-season game to date in the Farris Center during UCA's Division-I era, the Sugar Bears (15-4, 5-1 Southland) will attempt to draw even with the Cowgirls (16-4, 6-0) in the league race and keep separation from the pack.
Also in play are a pair of unbeaten streaks. The Cowgirls are the only undefeated team in Southland play, and the Sugar Bears are the league's only team undefeated at home this season, with a record of 11-0 inside the Farris Center.
The Cowgirls were picked first overall in the league's preseason polls, and the Sugar Bears second. Both teams are ranked in the Mid-Major Top 25, with the Cowgirls No. 11 and Sugar Bears No. 17, and are the league's top two teams in the RPI with UCA at 95 and McNeese at 112.
Though nine conference games remain after Saturday, including a rematch looming in Lake Charles on Feb. 11, the winner of Saturday's game greatly enhances its position for the stretch run. The Sugar Bears would not only even things up atop the league standings, but keep two games between themselves and the next four teams in the division. Meanwhile, the Cowgirls could build a two-game cushion over their nearest pursuers and at least three games over all other teams.
Last season UCA defeated McNeese 74-73 in an overtime thriller in Conway – a game in which Megan Herbert and Courtney Duever each posted double-doubles to help send the Cowgirls to their only conference loss of the season. The Sugar Bears then dropped the second meeting in Lake Charles 65-59 after leading by as many as 15 in the first half. The two teams hooked up again in the championship game of the Southland Conference Tournament, which the Cowgirls won to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
All but two of the Cowgirls' letterwinners return from last year's team with the biggest loss being forward Kiara Johnson, who averaged 11.7 points and 10.7 rebounds against the Sugar Bears last season.
The Cowgirls are again led by junior all-conference guards Ashlyn and Caitlyn Baggett, who combined for 32 points per game against UCA last season. Ashlyn Baggett leads the league in scoring at 19 points per game in conference play, and averages 15.6 points for the season on 34.4 percent shooting. Caitlyn Baggett, averaging 14.2 points for the season, is the Southland's top 3-point shooter at 43.4 percent (43 of 99), just ahead of the Sugar Bears' Micah Rice at 40.4 percent. 5-foot-11 senior forward Kendra Wells leads the team in rebounding (9.0 per game) and is third in scoring (9.5).
The Cowgirls' only losses this season are at No. 1 Baylor, No. 13 Texas A&M and UCLA, and at home against LSU.
Herbert, who is seven points shy of 1,500 for her career, is averaging 15.3 points and 10.2 rebounds to lead the Sugar Bears in both categories. She had 26 points and 9 rebounds in Wednesday's win over Southeastern Louisiana.
Guiden and Rice are each averaging double figures in scoring in Southland play, with Guiden putting in 11.8 per game and Rice 11.5. Desiree' Rogers is averaging 8.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in league play, and Duever is posting 7.7 points and 7.2 rebounds.
The game pits the league's top two defenses against one another, with the Sugar Bears allowing 50.4 points per game for the year and the Cowgirls 52.5. They are easily the Southland's top two teams in terms of scoring margin, with UCA leading the way at +17.9 and McNeese second at +14.4. They are also the league's most prolific 3-point shooting teams as each averages 6.8 made 3s per game.
It will mark just the second road game in conference play thus far for the Cowgirls, who won 60-36 at Southeastern Louisiana on Jan. 18. The Sugar Bears have won their three conference home games by an average of 22.7 points per game – defeating Northwestern State by 41, Lamar by 10 and Southeastern Louisiana by 17.
Notes:
– Herbert is seven points away from 1,500 for her career, and would become the 8th Sugar Bear ever to do so. With her 26 points against Southeastern Louisiana, she moved past Bekka Middleton for 8th in school history. She needs 13 to pass Genai Walker for 7th.
– The Sugar Bears have trailed at halftime in each of their last three games, and have come back to win them all. Over the last four games, the Sugar Bears are outscoring their opposition by an average of 44-25 in the second half. UCA is 5-3 in games in which it has trailed at halftime.
– Of UCA's 15 wins this season, 13 have been by at least 10 points, including 4 of their 5 conference wins.
– The Sugar Bears are 14-1 this season when holding opponents to 60 or fewer points.
– UCA is looking for its best start to Southland Conference play. In 2009-10, the Sugar Bears started 7-2 en route to an 11-5 finish.
– If the Sugar Bears win their remaining five home games, they would set a new school record for home victories in a season, eclipsing the mark of 15 set by the '09-'10 and '04-'05 teams.
– At halftime there will be a recognition for the 1976-77 Sugar Bear team, the first women's basketball team of the modern era at UCA. The school offered women's basketball from 1908-32, then discontinued the program for 44 years. The '76-'77 team went 15-8 overall and 13-5 in the AWISA. That team was coached by Rita Daniel (no relation to current Sugar Bear head coach Matt Daniel) in her only season.
