NEW ORLEANS — Central Arkansas was 10 for 12 from the free throw line in the 2nd half, including knocking down six in the final 45 seconds, as the Sugar Bears pulled away late from New Orleans for a 53-46 win at Lakefront Arena on Wednesday to snap a three-game losing streak.
"I thought the free throws were really the difference for us in the second half," said UCA head coach Sandra Rushing. "I'm happy to come away with a win, but we still did some of the same things we'd been doing that I thought we had corrected. We've got to get back home, get back to work, and prepare for Saturday's game."
In a tightly-contested game in which the teams were separated by five points or less for more than 37 minutes, the Sugar Bears (10-8, 3-3 Southland) were able to keep the Privateers (2-13, 0-6) at bay in the final minutes by converting free throws and stifling the UNO offense on every crucial possession down the stretch, not allowing a basket until an inconsequential layup with two seconds left.
The Privateers briefly threatened and appeared to have swung momentum on an Octavia Wilson steal with 1:32 remaining and UNO down by three. However,
Kelsey McClure answered just a few seconds later by jumping into the passing lane to intercept a UNO pass, then pushed the ball down the floor, dishing to
Kendara Watts for a layup to push the lead to five with 1:20 to go.
The Privateers cut it to three once again after a pair of free throws, but UNO then began intentionally fouling the Sugar Bears to send them to the line with 46 seconds left. From there, UCA closed it out by making its next five from the line, with
Brianna Mullins hitting four in a row and McClure knocking down the first of two.
UCA got 16 points each from Watts and
Maggie Proffitt, with Proffitt hitting 4-of-9 from 3-point range to push her career total to 103 in just 49 games – making her the 14th Sugar Bear in program history and 4th in the Division I era to reach the 100 3-point field goal milestone. During the game, Proffitt passed former Sugar Bear point guard and current assistant coach Destinee Rogers (90 games) and former Sugar Bear all-american and assistant coach Caronica Randle (122 games) on the career list. She now ranks 3rd in UCA's Division I history and is tied for 11th overall all-time.
The win moves UCA to 2-0 in the series against the Privateers, who have yet to record a conference win in 24 games since joining the Southland last season. UNO makes the return trip to the Farris Center on Feb. 7.
After playing their last three on the road, the Sugar Bears come home to the Farris Center for three of their next four, beginning with Nicholls on Saturday as part of a doubleheader with the men's game between the schools to follow. Defending Southland tournament champion Northwestern State comes to Conway on Tuesday.
