CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas women's basketball team collected back-to-back wins for the first time this season as the Sugar Bears (5-10, 3-4 SLC) defeated the Northwestern State Lady Demons (0-12, 0-7 SLC), 71-39, Saturday in the Farris Center. Carley Hudspeth had a career day as she scored a career-high 20 points, including six from 3-point range.
 
The Lady Demons started the game on fire with an 8-3 run, on a perfect 3-for-3 from the field. The Sugar Bears were unfazed and clawed back with an 8-2 run and gained an 11-10 lead with just under a minute left to play in the first quarter. After a layup by NSU, Ibeh knocked down two free throws to send UCA to the second quarter with a 13-12 lead.
 
The Sugar Bear defense picked up the intensity in the second as it held the Lady Demons to just four points in the quarter. After a UCA free throw, Hudspeth drained a 3-pointer in the corner. On the next UCA possession, Hudspeth was left open in the corner and made her second 3-pointer in almost the exact same spot on the floor. With 3:21 left in the half, Hannah Langhi found an open Briana Trigg, who knocked down the jumper. In the Sugar Bears' next trip to the offensive end of the floor, Terri Crawford drove to the basket and made the layup despite the hard foul. She converted the and-1 and gave UCA a 27-16 lead with 2:49 left in the quarter. UCA added four more points and took a 31-16 lead into the half.
 
Hudspeth stayed hot to start the third as she drained her third shot from behind the arc. The Lady Demons managed to cut the Sugar Bear lead to 16, 37-21, with 6:33 left in the third, but Crawford made back-to-back layups for UCA and extended the lead to 20, 41-21. Ibeh scored UCA's next six points, all from layups, and forced NSU to call a timeout with the score at 47-21. The two teams traded baskets, but Central Arkansas took a 54-27 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
Langhi started the scoring in the fourth with a jumper. The Sugar Bear defense was stout as they held Northwestern State without a field goal for 6:40 and held NSU to just four field goals for the quarter. Central Arkansas outscored Northwestern State 13-6 in the final 6:20 of play.
 
Hudspeth finished with a game-high 20 points, a career high, and drained a career-high six 3-pointers. Her six field goals made and 3-pointers made are both career bests. Hudspeth's six 3-pointers are the most since March, 7, 2020, when Romola Dominguez hit six against Northwestern State. Ibeh finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, tied a team-high three assists, and two steals. Crawford collected 11 points and added six rebounds, one steal, and one assist. Ayana Trigg recorded a season-best nine rebounds and tied a season-best eight points. Walker finished tied for the team lead with three assists and two steals. Briana Trigg and Jayla Cody finished tied for a game high with two blocks each.
 
As a team, the Sugar Bears held the Lady Demons to 39 total points, the first time since a game with Lamar Feb. 5, 2020, that UCA has allowed 40 or fewer points to an opponent. The Central Arkansas defense held Northwestern State to just 29.8 percent from the field, which is the lowest all season, and 26.3 percent from behind the arc. UCA was dominant on the glass, as the Sugar Bears outrebounded the Lady Demons, 47-25. Central Arkansas forced 20 turnovers, while it only turned the ball over 16 times.
 
Offensively, Central Arkansas posted a field-goal percentage of 44.1 percent, which is the second-best total this season. The UCA bench outscored the NSU bench, 39-9, and held the advantage in second-chance points, 23-4.
 
Tristen Washington led the Lady Demons with 12 points and had a game-high four assists. Anessa Dussette led NSU with five rebounds. Alexia Marsh notched a team-high two steals. Claudia Vidal recorded NSU's only blocked shot.
 
The Sugar Bears return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 3, for a matchup against New Orleans. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.
 
From the Coach – Head Coach Sandra Rushing
"I'm very happy with the win and how we played in the second half. We started out a little slow in the first half. They (Northwestern State) are a really well organized and well-coached team. They do a great job of putting the ball on the floor and we had trouble early trying to contain them. I'm happy for the win and we still have a lot of work ahead of us."
 
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