CONWAY — Through 10 games, Central Arkansas entered this week as the national leader in scoring defense, giving up just 47.2 points per game.
On Tuesday, the Sugar Bears allowed less than half that.
The Sugar Bears closed out their non-conference schedule with their most dominant performance of the season, defeating Jarvis Christian 77-23 for their 9th straight win.
The 23 points is the lowest allowed this season by the Sugar Bears (10-1), and the second-lowest total in their four years under head coach Sandra Rushing. It's the 7th time this season to hold an opponent to 40 or fewer points, and the program's lowest since giving up 21 to Central Baptist on Dec. 4, 2012.
The game was never in doubt as Central Arkansas ran out to a 10-0 lead then extended it to 34-10 at the half, tying Murray State for the lowest point total allowed in a half this season by the Sugar Bears. The Sugar Bears pulled away further in the 3rd quarter, outscoring the Lady Bulldogs 22-9 before shutting them down in the 4th with a 21-4 advantage.
Jarvis Christian was just 10 of 60 (16.7 percent) from the field, and was 0-for-3 from 3-point range. Outside of leading scorer Alicia Baldwin, the Lady Bulldogs were just 6 of 50 (12 percent). Taybreanna Couch was the only Lady Bulldog to make a free throw (3-for-4), with the rest of the team going 0-for-6.
All 13 Sugar Bears played at least five minutes in the game, with 12 scoring, led by
Taylor Strickland's 12 – all coming in the 2nd half.
Raquel Logan added 11 points and 8 rebounds,
Maggie Proffitt had 11 points, and
Sandy Jackson added 10 points and 7 rebounds.
Brianna Mullins had a team-high 5 assists, and
Jameka Watkins added 4.
Olivia McWilliams had 5 points, 4 rebounds and a team-high 3 steals in 25 minutes, and
Taylor Baudoin added 6 points and 7 rebounds in 15 minutes.
With the win, the Sugar Bears end 2015 with a 12-3 record in the Farris Center, and head into Southland Conference play with their best non-conference record in Division I and the program's best since going 11-0 in 2002.
Southland Conference play begins on Saturday in the Farris Center with Abilene Christian, with the Sugar Bears and Bears hosting ACU in a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m.
