NATCHITOCHES, La. — Both Central Arkansas and Northwestern State made 18 of their field goal attempts in their matchup on Saturday afternoon. Each team made a pair of three pointers. Each team committed 19 turnovers.

In all, it was a virtually even game. Except at the free throw line.

The Sugar Bears managed more than twice as many attempts at the line as the Lady Demons, and took advantage – hitting 13 to NSU's 6, including 7 to 0 in the 4th quarter – which would prove to be the difference as the Sugar Bears defeated the Lady Demons 51-44 in Prather Coliseum.

The Sugar Bears (9-11, 5-6 Southland) were able to get 24 free throw attempts on 25 fouls drawn to just 11 attempts for NSU, which turned out to be enough to stave off the pesky Lady Demons (5-15, 2-9) and give the Sugar Bears their fourth conference road win of the season.

After building a lead as large as 10 early in the second quarter, the Sugar Bears saw their lead whittled down to just three by halftime as the Lady Demons got a 3-pointer at the buzzer from Kalen Green to send the teams to the locker rooms with the Sugar Bears ahead 27-24.

NSU would briefly take the lead late in the third, going up 34-32, but the Sugar Bears would answer with back-to-back baskets from Hannah Langhi and Taylor Sells to regain a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way.

Up by two in the fourth, the Sugar Bears went on a 9-0 run in just under three minutes to push the lead to 11 with just over two minutes remaining to put the game away.

Alana Canady led the Sugar Bears with 15 points and 8 rebounds, hitting 7-of-10 from the field. Langhi added 9 points and 7 rebounds and led the team with 3 blocks. Sells added 7 points and a team-high 4 assists, while Ayanna Trigg tied Canady for the team lead with 8 rebounds.

The Sugar Bears return home for their next two, hosting Lamar at 7:00pm Wednesday and McNeese at 1:00pm on Saturday.