ABILENE, Texas — After scoring just 24 points in the first half on Saturday, Central Arkansas erupted for 49 second-half points on 62 percent shooting to outscore Abilene Christian by 17 over the final two quarters en route to a 73-61 victory at Moody Coliseum.

The win gives the Sugar Bears (19-8, 12-4 Southland) a season sweep of the Wildcats (15-11, 9-7) in the clash of the reigning Southland Conference co-champions, and locks up the third seed and first-round bye for the Sugar Bears in the Southland tournament in Katy, Texas in two weeks.

Down five at the half after shooting just 1-of-7 en route to 9 second-quarter points, the Sugar Bears found themselves trailing by seven late in the third quarter at 44-37. But a quick 10-0 run spanning just 1:32 put the Sugar Bears back on top and they would take a 49-46 lead into the fourth quarter.

ACU retook the lead by one midway through the final quarter at 58-57, but another 10-0 Sugar Bear run would put the Wildcats away as Central Arkansas would go on to outscore ACU 16-3 over the final 4:45.

After Mekaylan Hicks tied it at 58 with a free throw, the Sugar Bears took the lead on a Taylor Sells layup, then get four straight points from Taylor Baudoin on a 3-pointer and free throw to go up six with 2:20 to play. The dagger came in the form of an Antonija Bozic 3-pointer with 1:28 left to push the Central Arkansas lead to 9, and after a 3-pointer from from ACU's Dominique Golightly with 55 seconds to play, the Sugar Bears closed it out with six unanswered points in a 19-second span.

Baudoin once again led the way for the Sugar Bears, scoring a game-high 24 points on 75 percent shooting (9 of 12) with a game-high 9 rebounds and a block, steal and assist in 34 minutes. Bozic had 16 points, hitting 4-of-7 from 3-point range as the Sugar Bears finished the day shooting 55.6 percent (5 of 9) from beyond the arc.Kierra Jordan finished with 12 points, including going 6-for-6 at the free throw line, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Hicks, who was 5-of-6 at the free throw line, finished with 7 points, while Sells and Kamry Orr each had 6 points, with Orr dishing out a game-high 6 assists.

The Sugar Bears finished the game shooting 53.2 percent (25 of 47) from the field – their most efficient shooting day of the conference season – and were 18 of 25 (72 percent) from the free throw line.ACU shot 42.6 percent, but was held to 26.3 percent from 3-point range, making just 5 – well below their conference averages of 36.7 and 9.4.

The Sugar Bears will round out the regular season with a trip to Sam Houston State on Wednesday followed by Northwestern State visiting the Farris Center next Saturday.

NOTES
• The Sugar Bears improve to 5-2 against ACU, and have won the last 3
• The 49 second-half points was the Sugar Bears' most in a half this season against Division I competition and most since scoring 57 in the second half against Crowley's Ridge College
• Over her last four games, Taylor Baudoin has averaged 22.3 points and 7.5 rebounds
• With the win, the Sugar Bears are one away from their third straight 20-win season and 6th since 2010
• The Sugar Bears are 24-5 (.828) in February games since 2015