CONWAY — The first-place Sugar Bears will look to keep ahead of the pack in the Southland Conference race when they host last-place New Orleans Saturday at 2 p.m. in a game broadcast on ESPN3.
The Sugar Bears (14-7, 8-2), who defeated Southeastern Louisiana 80-70 on Thursday, will face an opponent yet to win a game this season in the Privateers (0-21, 0-10) – who have not won a game since Feb. 14 last season and are on a 25-game losing streak with a 3-44 mark the last two seasons.
Saturday's meeting will be the first between the two programs.
WATCH ON ESPN3
AUDIO - KUCA BROADCAST (pregame begins 1:40)
UCA GAME NOTES
LAST TIME OUT
UCA
The Sugar Bears pulled away late with six last-minute free throws to defeat Southeastern Louisiana 80-70 for their highest scoring output in a Southland game this season. Courtney Duever and Terai Sadler combined for 29 second-half points, with Duever getting 16 of her 20 and Sadler 13 of her season-high 17. Duever also added 12 rebounds for her 10th double-double of the season. Brianna Mullins had 12 and Maggie Proffitt 11. The Sugar Bears out rebounded the Lady Lions by eight and made six 3-pointers to SLU's two, overcoming a small deficit in free throws made (20 to 18) and field goal percentage (50 percent for SLU, 44.4 for UCA).
UNO
The Privateers suffered a 93-62 loss at Oral Roberts, falling behind 50-33 at halftime before getting outscored 43-29 in the second half. ORU committed just eight turnovers while forcing UNO into 16. The Privateers were dominated on the glass, losing the rebound battle 46-27. Danielle Davis led UNO with 13 points, with Ariele Davis and Jewel Angelo each adding 10.
STATISTICS OF NOTE
- The Sugar Bears are surrendering a league-best 57.2 points per game in Southland games, while New Orleans is last at 82.4. UCA is also 2nd in rebounding margin at +8.2 while UNO is last at -12.7.
-Courtney Duever ranks 3rd in conference play in both scoring (17.5) and rebounding (10.5), the highest points/rebounds per game total in the league.
- Maggie Proffitt tops the Southland in 3-point pct. during league play at 46.3 percent. For the season she is shooting 42.3 percent (44 of 104). Classmate Brianna Mullins leads the team at 43.2 percent for the season, making 19 of 44. That duo, at 21.1 combined points per game, is the second most prolific freshman scoring pair in the league with Mullins ranking 3rd among freshman at 10.7 points per game and Proffitt 4th at 10.4.
- A win for the Sugar Bears would give them 15 for the season, tying their win total from all of last season. It would also give them 9 conference wins, eclipsing last year's total of 8.
