CONWAY — A short-handed Sugar Bear team had no problem with Central Baptist College in the intra-city clash on Thursday as Central Arkansas rolled to a 75-34 win in the Farris Center.
The Sugar Bears (5-2), playing with just six players due to suspensions, doubled up the Mustangs (6-3) 40-20 in the first half before a 16-2 3rd quarter, then extended the lead in the final period by outscoring CBC 19-12 to secure their fourth win of the season by at least 40 points.
Taylor Baudoin had 22 points to lead the Sugar Bears, while equaling a career high with 5 assists. Antonija Bozic had her best game as a Sugar Bear, scoring 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc. Maddie Goodner tied a career high with 13 points, connecting on 3 of her 7 3-point attempts, while Savannah Lowe knocked down 1 of 2 from long range as the Sugar Bears were 10 of 19 (52.6 percent) in all.
Freshman Hannah Langhi contributed across the board, ripping down a game-high 11 rebounds while also leading all players with 6 assists and 4 blocks, scoring 7 points and coming away with a pair of steals. Goodner led the Sugar Bears with 4 steals as the Sugar Bears had 11 in all as they forced 21 CBC turnovers.
Taylor Sells added 10 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals.
The Sugar Bears had 21 assists on their 29 field goals, and were perfect from the free throw line (7 of 7), with Baudoin going 6-for-6.
CBC, the No. 4 team in the National Christian College Athletic Association poll, was led by 10 points from Emily Gardner.
Central Arkansas will hit the road to face No. 21 Texas A&M on Saturday, and will do so without a pair of starters as Kierra Jordan and Kamry Orr will serve the final game of their suspensions. Mekaylan Hicks, Tieraney Paylor, Angel Williams and redshirting transfer Alexyse Thomas were suspended for only Thursday's game.
"I suspended six players from tonight's game and two who will also miss Saturday's for violation of team rules," head coach Sandra Rushing said. "As a Sugar Bear basketball player, you are held to a higher standard. Not only do you represent yourself – but you are representing your family, your teammates, our program, our athletic department, and our university. When your actions are not reflective of the values of this program and this institution, there are consequences. We have a handful of young ladies who need to be reminded of that and be taught that lesson. I have made that message clear, and hopefully they all take advantage of this learning opportunity and we can all continue on chasing a Southland Conference championship."
NOTES
• The Sugar Bears' five wins this season have been by an average of 50 points, the closest a 23-point win over Alcorn State
• Since the beginning of the 2015-16 season, the Sugar Bears are 31-3 in the Farris Center
• The Sugar Bears have held opponents to single-digit scoring in 13 of 28 quarters this season
• Baudoin's 22 points is one off her career high of 23 at Northwestern State in March of last season
• Bozic's six 3-pointers is the most for a Sugar Bear since Maggie Proffitt had the same total at McNeese on January 31 last season
• Playing with only one substitute, the Sugar Bears avoided foul trouble – equaling a season low by committing only 8 in all, with no player registering more than 3
QUOTES
Head Coach Sandra Rushing
"I'm so proud of this group tonight – they played as a team and they played hard. The odds were stacked against them with only one sub, but they really played well and shared the basketball tonight. That's what you've got to have on the floor."
"I thought TB (Baudoin) did a tremendous job of rallying that group and talking them through it. She was playing with a very young group, and she stepped up."
"If I need Maddie Goodner to go play the post, which she did some tonight, she's going to go do it. Whatever I ask Maddie to do, she's going to do it. Play post, play guard, shoot it, don't shoot it, deliver the basketball – that's commitment."
"I can't tell you how proud I am of this group. What heart. Unbelievable heart. If we made a mistake, we sprinted down to the other end, everybody saying 'my bad' and taking responsibility. That's what you have to do as a leader."
"When people want to share the basketball, play whatever position is asked of them, that's what helps win championships – when you believe in each other, and that group tonight believed in each other."
"One thing we need to work on with our freshmen is that it's OK to make a mistake and you can't let that one mistake carry on to the next. You've got to let that go. I've said all along I love my freshmen. They work hard, love putting that uniform on, and do anything I ask them to do. They're not quite there yet with the speed of the game, but they're giving me everything they've got."
