CONWAY — Today at 1 p.m., the Sugar Bears host Incarnate Word in the Farris Center, looking to bounce back from a last-second loss at Northwestern State on Thursday.

The Sugar Bears (13-10, 6-5 Southland) had won three in a row before Thursday's 54-52 setback in Natchitoches, and are looking to take another step toward solidifying their spot in the Southland Conference Tournament in March in Katy, Texas. Entering today's game, the Sugar Bears sit 7th in the league standings with Sam Houston State occupying the 8th position with a 5-8 league record (Abilene Christian is 5-7 but ineligible for the tournament due to its reclassification from Division II).  Incarnate Word comes in 5-17 overall and 2-9 in conference play, ahead of only 1-11 New Orleans in the league standings.

Both the Cardinals' conference wins this season – wins over New Orleans and Southeastern Louisiana – have come at home, with UIW sporting a 1-10 record away from their home floor. The Cardinals have dropped their last seven games by an average of 14.9 points per game, with their closest contest being a 104-101 double-overtime loss to McNeese State.

UIW is led by Aricka Adams, who averages 13.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Yvonne Maosa averages 8.7 points and 7.2 rebounds, while Jazmine Holman leads the team with 4.1 assists and 2.6 steals per game while adding 7.8 points

Today's game pits the league's 11th and 12th-ranked scoring offenses, with UIW averaging 58.3 points and the Sugar Bears 57.7. UCA counters with the league's stingiest defense, allowing just 56.4 per game, while the Cardinals are 12th, allowing 68.6.

A win today would give Sugar Bear head coach Sandra Rushing 450 for her career. She is currently 449-292 (.606) overall and has a 46-37 record (.554) at UCA.

Today's game is the first of three games in the Farris Center this week for the Sugar Bears, who host McNeese State on Wednesday and Sam Houston State on Saturday.