CONWAY — For the 10th time this season, Central Arkansas held an opponent to fewer than 50 points – limiting New Orleans to just 18 in the first half en route to a 50-44 Sugar Bear win in the Farris Center on Saturday.
The Sugar Bears (13-9, 6-4 Southland) completed their season sweep of the Privateers (3-17, 1-10), won their third straight game and for the fourth time in their last five by holding UNO to just 37.3 percent shooting from the field. UNO was just 15.4 percent from 3-point range – going just 1-for-12 from beyond the arc before knocking one down at the final buzzer.
After building a 12-point lead at the half, the Sugar Bears struggled offensively in the second half – shooting just 7 for 27 (25.9 percent) from the field and 3 of 6 from the free throw line. The Privateers made a run midway through the half to cut the UCA lead to three at 42-39 with 11:10 left, but then UCA held UNO scoreless over the next 10 minutes as the Sugar Bears built the lead back up to nine.
The lead hit 10 in the final minute on a pair of
Brianna Mullins free throws with 45 seconds remaining before the Privateers closed it out with a free throw with 32 seconds to play, followed by the Danielle Davis 3-pointer as time expired.
Coming into the game with the Southland's top scoring defense at 57.1 points allowed per game, the Sugar Bears held the Privateers to 11 points beneath their Southland-worst scoring average of 55.3. In their three meetings over the past two seasons, the Sugar Bears have held the Privateers to an average of 40 points per game. UNO came into Saturday's game fresh off its first Southland Conference win, having defeated McNeese State 90-86 in triple overtime on Thursday.
The Sugar Bears got 16 points from
Maggie Proffitt, who has averaged 23 points over the last three games and 17.1 per game in the Sugar Bears' victories this season.
Brianna Mullins added 14 points, a team-high 9 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 assists. Halie Matthews and Brown had 13 points each for the Privateers.
UCA travels to Natchitoches, La. next week to face Northwestern State on Thursday before playing its next three games in the Farris Center on Feb. 15 vs. Incarnate Word, Feb. 18 vs. McNeese State and Feb. 21 vs. Sam Houston State.
