CONWAY, Ark. – Combining ball movement, defensive effort and clutch baskets down the stretch, the Central Arkansas women's basketball team took a 65-58 win over Bellarmine on Thursday. The Sugar Bears claimed the series sweep against the Knights, winning both games this season.
 
The Sugar Bears had a number of contributors on the evening, led by Carley Hudspeth's 14 points, including a season-high four three-pointers. Lucy Ibeh recorded her 12^th double-double of the season, posting 16 points and 12 rebounds. Lashiyah Fowler took advantage of her minutes, scoring a career-best 12 points, earning a second-straight start and hitting 5-of-10 shots and adding a pair of free throws. Randrea Wright ran an excellent game from the point, scoring 12 points and a career-high nine assists.
 
Central Arkansas grabbed a key win in the ASUN standings, moving to 4-9 in league play, building on the lead in the standings and moving to secure a hosting spot in the ASUN tournament.
 
It was a fast start for the Sugar Bears, as the team started on a 6-0 run to get things going. Ibeh in particular came out aggressive in the first quarter, scoring eight points in the opening frame, helping Central Arkansas build a 10-point lead in the first quarter. Bellarmine made a small run toward the end of the quarter to cut the lead to five by the end of the opening period.
 
Bellarmine threatened in the second quarter, keeping the lead to a minimum, even narrowing it to one by the midway point, but the Sugar Bears never allowed the Knights to completely turn things around. Back-to-back buckets by Wright and Savanna Walker kept the lead at five with under three minutes remaining in the half, and the Knights were only able to trim the lead to three as the teams broke for halftime.
 
Ibeh led all players at the break with nine points and five rebounds, while Walker had six points off the bench. On the other side, only two Bellarmine players had hit five points, as the team held a 36 percent shooting percentage after 20 minutes of action.
 
With halftime adjustments in play, the Central Arkansas offense built the lead in the third quarter. Back-to-back scores from Fowler kept the lead at five, before a response from Bellarmine trimmed it to a three-point lead. From there, a 7-0 run by the Sugar Bears put the lead back at double-figures, stretching a minute later to an 11-point lead, equaling the largest advantage of the night. Returning a haymaker, the Knights put on an 8-0 run of their own, slicing the lead back to three on a three-pointer with just under three minutes remaining in the quarter. Righting the ship, Hudspeth hit two of her three third-quarter triples in the final minutes of the quarter to push the lead back up, holding the Bellarmine push just out of reach. Central Arkansas took a 44-36 lead into the fourth, with momentum trending in its direction.
 
Despite trailing by double-digits early in the fourth, Bellarmine slowly but surely closed the gap, using another 8-0 run through the early portion of the final frame to cut the lead to two. Regaining their composure, the Sugar Bears broadened the gap again with a run led by Hudspeth. Back and forth the teams would go in the final minute of the game, but clutch free throws from Hannah Langhi, Wright, Ibeh and Jayla Cody kept the Knights from ever getting a lead.
 
The Sugar Bears ended a five-game slide with the win, getting back in a rhythm and back in the win column as the regular season starts to come to a close. Points off of turnovers proved to be a difference against the Knights, as Central Arkansas outscored the visitors 20-13 off of miscues, winning the turnover battle 13-16.
 
Senior Day is next on the calendar for the Sugar Bears. The team will celebrate the accomplishments and achievements of the four upperclassmen against Eastern Kentucky on Saturday. Tip-off against the Colonels is set for 4 p.m. at the Farris Center.