SAN ANTONIO — Kamry Orr scored a career-high 27 points and the Sugar Bear defense somehow found a way to outdo itself as Central Arkansas defeated Incarnate Word 57-35 on the road Wednesday for the Sugar Bears' 22nd straight Southland Conference victory.

After allowing 14 points in the first quarter, the Sugar Bears (12-4, 5-0 Southland) limited the Cardinals (3-12, 2-2) to just 21 points over the final three quarters, improving on the nation's 2nd-ranked scoring defense – dropping their average from 48.9 points per game allowed to 48.0

The 35 equals the second-lowest total the Sugar Bears have held a Southland opponent to during their six seasons head coach Sandra Rushing, and is the 30th time to keep an opponent to 40 or less during her tenure.

Over the last two games, including a 51-39 win over preseason favorite Lamar on Saturday, the Sugar Bears have allowed just 37 points per game and have allowed just 43.9 points per game during their current 7-game win streak – including 43.0 during conference play.

The Sugar Bears held UIW to 27.3 percent shooting for the game, with the Cardinals knocking down only 20 percent of their shots (7 of 35) over the final three quarters. UIW was just 1 of 9 (11.1 percent) from 3-point range, and struggled from the free throw line as well, hitting only 10 of 22 (45.5 percent).

Central Arkansas found itself in a battle in the first half, leading just 17-14 after one and 28-21 at the half despite 17 points from Orr. While the junior from Little Rock was 5-of-10 from the field with a pair of 3-pointers and 5-of-5 at the line in the opening half, the rest of the team was just 5 of 17 from the field, 1 of 4 from long range, and 0 of 2 at the line.

It wasn't until the third quarter that the Sugar Bears would distance themselves from the Cardinals, outscoring UIW 24-5 – including a 17-1 run over the quarter's final 7:15 – to take a 52-26 lead into the fourth quarter. After being held scoreless in the first half, senior forward Taylor Baudoin poured in 11 of her 13 points in the 3rd, and Orr dropped in the final 10 of her 27 as the Sugar Bears went 9-for-17 (52.9 percent) from the field while keeping UIW to just one field goal on only eight attempts (12.5 percent). In that quarter, the Sugar Bears forced 10 UIW turnovers, with 16 of their 24 points in the period coming off those Cardinal miscues.

In addition to her career-high 27 points, Orr led the Sugar Bears with 6 steals – one off her season high and third time this season with at least 5 steals in a game. Baudoin finished with 13 points, led all players with 8 rebounds and tied Taylor Sells for the team lead with 3 assists, while also committing zero turnovers in 27 minutes.

Freshman Mekaylan Hicks added 6 points and 6 rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench. Kierra Jordan had 5 and 5, and Sells added 4 points and 5 rebounds to go with her 3 assists. Alanie Fisher, who missed the first 8 games of the season due to injury and has appeared in just five games, scored her first basket as a Sugar Bear, finishing with a pair of points and rebounds in 15 minutes – her most extended action of the season.

Imani Robinson led UIW with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

The Sugar Bears now travel to Thibodaux, La. to take on Nicholls on Saturday before returning home to host New Orleans next Wednesday and Abilene Christian – which shared the Southland regular season championship with the Sugar Bears last season – on Saturday the 20th.


NOTES
• The win came with head coach Sandra Rushing back on the bench following her father's passing last week. She had missed three of the Sugar Bears' first four Southland games, with Associate Head Coach Greg Long guiding the team to a 3-0 record during that stretch
• The Sugar Bears improve to 5-0 all time against Incarnate Word, winning by an average of 16.6 points
• The Sugar Bears have won 22 straight against Southland teams, and are 23-1 against Southland teams away from the Farris Center over the last three seasons
• It was the second 20-point game of the season for Orr, who had 21 points at Baylor on Nov. 14
• The 35 points was the fewest the Sugar Bears have allowed to a Southland team since also holding Stephen F. Austin to 35 in the championship game of last year's Southland tournament. The only time the Sugar Bears have surrendered fewer points to a Southland foe under Coach Rushing was on Feb. 8, 2014, when they held New Orleans to 30