CONWAY — Riding its second nine-game winning streak of the season, Central Arkansas will look to make it a season-best 10 – which would represent the Sugar Bears' longest conference winning streak since 2011 – as they host Northwestern State at 7:00pm Wednesday in the Farris Center in the second meeting of the season between the teams.
The Sugar Bears (19-2, 9-1 Southland) – who remain No. 23 in the College Insider Women's Mid-Major poll for the 2nd straight week – will be gunning for their fourth 20-win season in the last seven years and the ninth in the career of head coach Sandra Rushing, who had eight in a nine-year span at Delta State – including the last seven before leaving for Central Arkansas in 2012. With just two losses, the Sugar Bears are currently one of only 10 teams of the 349 in Division I basketball with two or fewer losses.
To get to 20 and keep their loss total at two – including just one in conference play, tied atop the Southland standings with Abilene Christian – they will need to complete a season sweep of the Lady Demons (12-10, 6-5) for the first time since 2012, when they scored the most lopsided win in the history of the 22-game series by defeating the Lady Demons 84-43 in the Farris Center.
The Sugar Bears already own a one-sided victory over NSU this season, having defeated the Lady Demons 74-49 in Natchitoches on Jan. 27 to deal NSU its first home loss of the season and give them their worst home defeat in a span of 47 games. The Sugar Bears kept the Lady Demons 22 points below their season average in that game, rolling to their largest margin of victory ever in a Southland road game.
NSU has not won in the Farris Center since a 76-72 overtime win in 2011, dropping the last four in Conway by double figures with an average margin of victory of 21.5 points for the Sugar Bears.
In this season's first meeting, the Sugar Bears had an excellent shooting night – connecting to the tune of 56.6 percent for the game including a 61.5 percent first quarter and a third quarter in which they made 71.4 percent from the field. For the game, the Sugar Bears shot 75 percent from 3-point range, hitting 6 of 8.
Taylor Baudoin had 12 points and 12 rebounds in 29 minutes,
Maggie Proffitt had 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting and
Kendara Watts added 12 points.
Jameka Watkins tied a career high with 8 assists and held NSU's Janelle Perez to 3 of 8 shooting and without an assist.
NSU got 17 points from Beatrice Attura in that game, and 12 from Perez.
Perez and Proffitt enter Wednesday night's game each averaging 14.9 points per game for the season, with Perez scoring 17.3 in Southland games and Proffitt 17.1. They rank 2nd and 3rd in conference games in 3-point shooting, with Perez making 43.6 of her shots from long range with Proffitt just behind at 41.5 percent. Proffitt has, however, knocked down 55.1 percent over her last six games and during the Sugar Bears' winning streak has scored 18.8 points per game.
The Sugar Bears sit 2nd nationally in scoring defense behind only UConn, giving up 49.0 per game to the Huskies' 48.7. The Sugar Bears are one of only three teams allowing fewer than 50 points per game for the season. Central Arkansas is also 15th nationally in field goal percentage defense, with opponents shooting just 34.7 percent.
Wednesday's game concludes a three-game home stretch for the Sugar Bears, who will take to the road for their next three before playing three of the last four at home in the Farris Center. Pregame begins at 6:40 with Steve Owens on KUCA 91.3 The Bear and on ucasports.com at the links above for both video and audio streaming.
