CONWAY — Central Arkansas saw its winning streak come to an end at nine games as the Sugar Bears fell for the first time since Jan. 2, coming up short 60-56 to Northwestern State in the Farris Center on Wednesday.
The Sugar Bears (19-3, 9-2 Southland) trailed by 10 early in the fourth quarter but fought back to tie the game at 54 with 2:01 left after back-to-back baskets from Maggie Proffitt, but NSU's Janelle Perez – who finished with a game-high 22 points – nailed a 3 on the other end to give the Lady Demons (13-10, 7-5 Southland) the lead back for good.
With 1:24 to go, Brianna Mullins made a pair of free throws to cut the NSU lead to one at 57-56, and the Sugar Bears got got the ball back with a chance to take the lead after an offensive foul by Perez with 32 seconds remaining. However, the Sugar Bears committed a turnover on the ensuing possession, and were forced to foul multiple times to put the Lady Demons in the bonus and send them to the line.
With 10 seconds to go, NSU worked the ball to Perez – the nation's 4th-leading free throw shooter at 90.5 percent – to the line where she converted a pair to push the NSU lead to three.
On the other end, the Sugar Bears got the ball to Proffitt, who was forced into a hurried 3-pointer with three seconds left that was off the mark. Taylor Baudoin nearly corralled the offensive rebound for the Sugar Bears, but the ball touched down just beyond the baseline before Baudoin could save it back into play.
The Sugar Bears were forced to foul once more, and Perez made the first of two to set the final score, giving NSU its first win in Conway since 2011.
Baudoin led the Sugar Bears with a season-high 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting, and also tied for the team lead with 5 rebounds and had a team-high 2 steals. Proffitt finished with 12 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists, and Raquel Logan added 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks.
The Sugar Bears outshot the Lady Demons from the field 48.8 percent to 45.7, but struggled from the 3-point line – where they rank 23rd in the country and 1st in the Southland at 36.1 percent – shooting just 2 of 13 (15.4 percent). Meanwhile the Lady Demons were 7 of 11 (63.6 percent) from long range, led by Perez's 3 of 5 and Keisha Lee's 2 of 3 en route to 12 points.
After playing their last three at home, the Sugar Bears will hit the road for the next three beginning with Incarnate Word on Saturday in San Antonio before games at McNeese State and Sam Houston State next Wednesday and Saturday. They will finish with three out of the last four at home, beginning with Sam Houston State visiting the Farris Center on Feb. 24.
