CONWAY — Senior guard Micah Rice scored six points in the final 2:25 as Central Arkansas pulled away late for a 63-56 overtime victory over ULM on Saturday in the Farris Center.
The Sugar Bears (4-1) outscored the Warhawks (2-2) 12-2 in the last 3:03 to defeat ULM for the third consecutive season and moving to 3-0 at home this season.
"I'm very happy with this win," said UCA head coach Sandra Rushing. "It was ugly basketball, and we started out sluggish, but I'm very pleased to come out of it with a win and I'm proud of how they fought through the second half and in overtime."
After ULM's Elexar Tugler opened the extra period with a 3-pointer just five seconds in to take a 54-51 lead, the Warhawks got just one more basket, went nearly three minutes without scoring and were held scoreless over the final two minutes.
The Sugar Bears tied the game at 54 on a basket and free throw from Courtney Duever, in the process drawing the fifth foul on ULM's Ashleigh Simmons – who had 13 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals in 30 minutes.
After Duever tied it at 54 with 3:03 to go, Rice hit a jumper with the shot clock winding down to put the Sugar Bears ahead. Duever followed with a pair of free throws to extend the lead to four, but the Warhawks answered with what would prove to be their final score of the game on a score inside from Sharnice Brooks with 2:01 remaining.
Rice knocked down another jumper with 41 seconds left, Brianna Mullins made one of two free throws with 20 seconds left, and Rice then sealed it by getting her fourth steal of the game and drove down for a layup with 10 seconds left to set the final margin.
"Micah and Courtney came up big today," Rushing said. "And that's what we expect out of our seniors. They've got to step up. We needed them today, because our freshmen played like freshmen. I'm not down on them – they'll be great here – but today was a little more intense of a game than what they're probably used to. You need to have great leaders, but sometimes you have to have good followers, too."
The teams stayed nearly even throughout the majority of the game, never being separated by more than seven points and no more than five in the second half. The Sugar Bears led by five with less than three minutes to go in regulation, but the Warhawks kept them scoreless and Jasmine Shaw knocked down the tying free throw with 33 seconds left.
Rice had one final look to end it in regulation, but was off the mark.
Mullins had a game- and season-high 17 points, making 3 of 5 from 3-point range and 4 of 5 at the free throw line. Duever had her second double-double of the season and 17th of her career with 16 points and a season-best 13 rebounds, to go along with four assists. Rice added 14 points, three assists and four steals.
In addition to Simmons' 13 and 10, the Warhawks got 13 points from Alexar Tugler and 10 from Brooks.
UCA will hit the road for its next two games, playing at Jacksonville State on Tuesday and Austin Peay on Saturday before returning to the Farris Center on Dec. 2 to face Southern Illinois.
