Following a second consecutive loss on Wednesday at Stephen F. Austin, the Sugar Bears look to get back on track Saturday in the Farris Center against Abilene Christian as the regular season winds down with a spot in the Southland Conference Tournament still up for grabs.
With three games remaining, the Sugar Bears are two games up on Northwestern State, Southeastern Louisiana, McNeese and Incarnate Word for the 8th and final spot in the conference tournament, and sit a half game behind New Orleans for the 7th seed and a game behind Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for 6th. The Sugar Bears have a chance to clinch their 9th consecutive tournament berth at home with the next two games in the Farris Center, with 5th-place Sam Houston State coming to town on Wednesday following the clash with 3rd-place ACU. The regular season will conclude next Saturday at Northwestern State.
The Sugar Bears come in having lost their last two by a combined 54 points, suffering a 68-52 setback at Nicholls last Saturday followed by a 79-43 loss at SFA on Wednesday. Meanwhile the Wildcats enter having won their last four as they try to move out of a tie with Nicholls for 3rd in the league standings.
ACU won a close one in Abilene in the season's first meeting, holding on for a 77-70 victory after the Sugar Bears staged a second-half rally to bring the game down to the final minute after trailing by as many as 14.
GAME INFORMATION
CENTRAL ARKANSAS (11-14, 6-9 Southland) vs Abilene Christian (18-8, 11-4)
March 2, 2019 • 2:00pm • Farris Center • Conway, Ark.
MULTIMEDIA
Video:
Bear Nation Network
Radio:
The Bear 91.3 (pregame begins 1:40)
Live Stats
On Twitter:
@ucasports @ucascoreboard @ucawbb
SERIES HISTORY
Central Arkansas leads 6-3
3-1 in Conway
Abilene Christian won last meeting
Last 5 meetings:
2/8/17 - UCA 80, ACU 70 (Conway)
1/20/18 - UCA 63, ACU 45 (Conway)
2/24/18 - UCA 73, ACU 61 (Abilene)
3/9/18 - UCA 54, ACU 41 (Katy, Texas - Southland Conference Tournament)
1/26/19 - ACU 77, UCA 70 (Abilene)
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Central Arkansas
Points Per Game: Kamry Orr (15.5)
Rebounds Per Game: Hannah Langhi & Alanie Fisher (4.5)
Assists Per Game: Kamry Orr (3.5)
Blocks: Hannah Langhi (14)
Steals: Kamry Orr (59)
Abilene Christian
Points Per Game: Dominique Golightly (14.3)
Rebounds Per Game: Lexie Ducat (6.6)
Assists Per Game: Sara Williamson (4.7)
Blocks: Sara Williamson (29)
Steals: Sara Williamson (43)
NOTES
• The Sugar Bears scored 47 2nd-half points to battle back from 14 down in the first meeting this season, taking a brief lead in the 4th quarter and trailing by just 3 in the final 15 seconds before eventually falling 77-70. Kamry Orr scored 24 points in the loss, with Hannah Langhi getting 8 points and 9 rebounds. ACU had four players in double figures, led by Sara Williamson's 22.
• The Sugar Bears rank 2nd in the Southland and 29th nationally in scoring defense, allowing 57 points per game. ACU counters with one of the nation's most efficient offenses, ranking 19th in field goal percentage at 45.7 percent, also ranking 22nd nationally in both assists per game (16.8) and rebound margin (7.4). In the first meeting this season, ACU shot 53.8 percent from the field (including 63.2 percent on 2-point FGs) and outrebounded the Sugar Bears by 11 (34-23).
• Despite being held scoreless for the first time as a Sugar Bear and playing only 6 minutes in Wednesday's loss at SFA, Kamry Orr ranks 3rd in the league in scoring (17.4); 5th in assists (4.4); 2nd in steals (2.8); 2nd in free throws made (75) and 5th in FT pct. (81.5) during conference play.
• The Sugar Bears need to win their final 3 regular-season games to avoid their first losing record in conference play since 2012-13. In the last 5 seasons, they had averaged 13.6 Southland wins, going 68-22.
UP NEXT
Sam Houston State visits for Senior Night on Wednesday, then the Sugar Bears head to Natchitoches, La. for the regular-season finale at Northwestern State next Saturday.
