CONWAY — After a convincing 80-58 victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Wednesday for the Sugar Bears' 8th win in a row, Central Arkansas looks to continue its streak on Saturday when the University of New Orleans visits the Farris Center at 2:00pm.
Saturday's game – the first half of a doubleheader with the Bears and Privateers to follow – will be the second game between the teams this season, with the Sugar Bears (18-2, 8-1 Southland) defeating the Privateers (6-13, 3-7) 59-44 on Jan. 21 in New Orleans.
In that meeting,
Brianna Mullins had 18 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals,
Maggie Proffitt had 13 points and
Jameka Watkins 12 as the Sugar Bears shot 41.2 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent at there free throw line. UNO was held without a 3-point field goal in the game, and Privateers' leading scorer Randi Brown (17.8 ppg), was held to 8 points on 2-for-7 shooting.
By virtue of Lamar's 64-53 win over Abilene Christian Thursday night, the Sugar Bears are now even with the Wildcats in the loss column for the top spot in the league standings. ACU – which hosts Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday – enters the day with a 9-1 Southland mark, giving them a half game edge over the Sugar Bears at 8-1. ACU, which is in the midst of its reclassification from Division II, is ineligible for the Southland Conference Tournament, meaning the Sugar Bears are currently in the driver's seat for the No. 1 seed and the double bye to the semifinals in March's eight-team tournament in Katy.
The Sugar Bears come into Saturday's game riding back-to-back lopsided wins, having beaten Northwestern State by 25 prior to Wednesday's 22-point win over Southeastern Louisiana. During their current 8-game streak, the Sugar Bears have three wins of 20_ points, having also beaten Lamar 74-49 on Jan. 11, and have an average margin of victory of 13.4 which includes one- and two-point wins against Houston Baptist and Stephen F. Austin. In the four games since the 45-44 win over HBU, the Sugar Bears have been seriously challenged only once, defeating Nicholls 71-65.
Over the last three games the Sugar Bears have averaged 75 points, 14 points above their average over the first 17 games. They have, however, given up 57.3 points per game in the process, narrowly dropping possession of 1st place nationally in scoring defense as UConn – which defeated Tulane 96-38 on Wednesday – dropped its average to 48.6, slipping in just ahead of the Sugar Bears at 48.7.
Not only is that average good for 2nd in the nation (and best in the Southland by 12.2 points), it is well ahead of the pace for the best in Central Arkansas history, with the 2011-12 team currently holding the record at 54.0 points per game. This year's team would need to give up more than 66 points per game for the remainder of the regular season to reach that figure.
Coming into Saturday's game, Proffitt ranks 7th in the Southland in scoring for the season at 14.8 points per game (including 17.0 in conference games), is tops in free throw percentage at 91.8 (45 of 49) and 6th in 3-point percentage at 38.0. Watkins ranks 7th in Southland play with 3.3 assists per game and is tied for 1st with a 2.3 assist/turnover ratio. Mullins is scoring 11.2 points per game in league play, and leads the conference in free throw percentage at 93.8 in Southland games.
Raquel Logan ranks 7th in rebounding for the season at 7.1 per game and 5th in blocked shots at 1.1 per game, including 1.3 per game in conference play.
It will be the second of a three-game homestand for the Sugar Bears, who host the return meeting with Northwestern State on Wednesday before heading to San Antonio next weekend to face Incarnate Word.
