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KUCA RADIO BROADCAST WITH STEVE OWENS (begins at 2:40)
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TULSA, Okla. — Central Arkansas will try to extend its winning streak and, at the same time, break a losing streak when the Sugar Bears square off against Oral Roberts at 3 p.m. today at the Mabee Center.
The Sugar Bears (8-5, 2-0 Southland) have won three straight, including a sweep in their first weekend of conference action to be one of three teams left unbeaten in league play - joining 3-0 Stephen F. Austin and 1-0 Abilene Christian.
To get to 3-0, the Sugar Bears will have to do something they haven't done in 24 years – defeat Oral Roberts. The teams have met six times since UCA moved to Division I and the Golden Eagles have won all six. The Sugar Bears' lone win in the series came on Nov. 30, 1989 when they defeated ORU 109-66.
The Golden Eagles, last season's Southland regular season co-champion and tournament champion, enter with a 2-10 overall record and 1-1 conference mark. ORU opened the conference season with an 85-73 win over Houston Baptist, but was tripped up by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 58-53.
After winning their season opener against University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, the Golden Eagles lost their next nine against a schedule that included Kansas, Arkansas, Navy, Tulsa, UALR, Missouri, Northwestern, Marquette and Nebraska.
The Golden Eagles are led by Christian Key's 13 points per game, with Dorottya Balla adding 11. Sarah Shelton, a preseason All-Southland second team selection, is fourth among Southland players with 8.7 rebounds per game.
ORU also features freshman guard Kaylan Mayberry, daughter of former University of Arkansas star and NBA veteran Lee Mayberry. She is averaging 9.6 points per game, third-highest on the team.
Another ORU freshman, Alexus Wilson – who is averaging 7.9 points in 17.8 minutes per game – was a high school teammate of UCA freshman guard Kelsey McClure at Muskogee (Okla.) High School.
For the Sugar Bears, Courtney Duever is averaging 13.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, the sixth-highest rebounding average in the conference. Micah Rice is second in steals at 2.5 per game, and the Sugar Bears feature a pair of the league's top 3-point shooters in Maggie Proffitt (39.4 percent – 6th) and Brianna Mullins (38.2 – 8th). The Golden Eagles rank 11th in the conference in 3-point defense with opponents shooting 35.5 percent from beyond the arc.
