GAME INFORMATION
CENTRAL ARKANSAS (1-1) at Little Rock (0-3)
November 16, 2019 • 2:00pm • Jack Stephens Center • Little Rock, Ark.

Video
Audio (pregame begins 1:40)
Live Stats
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SERIES HISTORY
Central Arkansas leads 22-2
Last meeting: Central Arkansas 87, Little Rock 67 (1/29/87; Conway)

STATISTICAL LEADERS
Central Arkansas
Points Per Game: Terri Crawford (14.0)
Rebounds Per Game: Hannah Langhi (6.5)
Assists Per Game: Four tied at 1.5
Blocks: Alana Canady & Briana Trigg (1)
Steals: Hannah Langhi (4)

Little Rock
Points Per Game: Kyra Collier (15.0)
Rebounds Per Game: Krystan Vornes (4.7)
Assists Per Game: Tori Laker (3.0)
Blocks: Krystan Vornes (4)
Steals: Kyra Collier (3)

CONWAY — For the first time in more than 30 years, Central Arkansas and Little Rock will officially meet up on the hardwood in women's basketball as the Sugar Bears and Trojans square off in the Governor's I-40 Showdown at 2:00pm Saturday at the Jack Stephens Center.

Through the years, the teams have competed in closed scrimmages and clashed in an exhibition game in 2005 in the first game played in the Stephens Center, but have not met up in a game of record since 1987.

That changes tomorrow in the first renewal of what is slated to be an annual matchup between the schools as part of the ongoing year-long rivalry series with the Trojans.

"This is a big game for us," said head coach Sandra Rushing. "First, this is a great game for women's basketball in Central Arkansas. It's a great chance to showcase both our programs and bring some extra attention to our game in this area. And, it's a chance for us to get a quality opponent 30 minutes from home that we know is going to help prepare us for conference every year.

"We know it is going to be a big challenge ahead of us," she said. "I've known (Little Rock head coach) Joe Foley for a long time, and I have a ton of respect for him. You know when you play a Joe Foley team that they are going to be coached as well as any team in the country. No matter what, it's difficult to prepare for them and I hope that our players are up to the challenge."

The Sugar Bears head into Saturday's contest fresh off a 104-28 win over Division III Hendrix College on Tuesday to even their record at 1-1 after a 63-36 loss at Tennessee in the season opener last week. Little Rock – which has finished with 20+ wins in 12 of the last 13 seasons while making 6 NCAA Tournament trips and was picked atop this year's Sun Belt preseason poll – comes in at an uncharacteristic 0-3.

But don't be fooled by records.

The Trojans' three losses have come on the road at No. 6 Texas A&M and Rice, and most recently a 65-50 loss to LSU on Wednesday in the Trojans' home opener.

"They are not an 0-3 team, and that's something I want our kids to understand," Rushing said. "Don't come into this game thinking that's an 0-3 team we're going up against. They have played against really tough competition, and their record does not come close to indicating what type of team they are. We know we're going to have to play our best defense of the year – and we're going to have to put the ball in the hole. Coach Foley is going to have his team ready. They play hard, and they've got all the pieces of the puzzle. They've got some great guards, and I really like their inside game. They run a motion offense and do it very, very well – and we've got to be ready for that."

After struggling offensively in the opener at Tennessee, the Sugar Bears found plenty of firepower in Tuesday's win over Hendrix – posting the second-highest scoring total during Rushing's tenure and recording the second-highest margin of victory in the program's Division I history while shooting 63.6 percent. Leading the way was freshman forward Terri Crawford, who scored 24 first-half points in 16 minutes of action. Shay Johnson and Hannah Langhi had 17 apiece, Taylor Sells had 15 and Ayanna Trigg added 13. 

"It was good to see us get some scoring, and hopefully there's some carryover," Rushing said. "But this isn't Hendrix. This is Little Rock, who is at the top of the Sun Belt every year. I hope we gained some confidence with so many new players, but we also can't think we're where we need to be because of that. We're going to need to be focused and prepared to come play hard and compete every possession."

NOTES
• Due to scheduling conflicts, the teams did not meet in last year's inaugural season of the Governor's I-40 Showdown. Entering Saturday's game, Central Arkansas leads this year's competition 11.5 to 6.5 after taking home the trophy last year by a count of 26.5 to 16.5.
• The Sugar Bears were the Trojans' first opponent in the Jack Stephens Center, playing an exhibition game in 2005. The Sugar Bears won that meeting 80-70 behind 49 points from Caronica Randle.
• Though they have not met in 32 years, the teams squared off 24 times from 1976-87, with the Sugar Bears winning 22 – including 13 of the last 14. The Trojans' last win was a 66-58 victory on Dec. 4, 1985.
• Coach Rushing and Coach Foley met four times in 2002 & 2003 in Division II in the Gulf South Conference. In her lone season at Henderson State in 2001-02, Rushing split with Foley, winning 46-44 at Arkansas Tech and losing 64-60 at Henderson. The following year, in her first season at Delta State, ATU swept the series with a 62-44 win in Russellville and a 62-51 win in Cleveland, Miss. That would be the final year of Foley's 16-year run at ATU before taking over at Little Rock for the 2003-04 season.