JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Fighting until the very end, the Central Arkansas women's basketball team's season ended with a 65-55 loss to the Jacksonville Dolphins Wednesday night. Down as many as 23, the Sugar Bears brought the lead all the way down to six in the fourth quarter, before the Dolphins pulled away at the free throw line.
 
Central Arkansas was led by seniors Carley Hudspeth and Hannah Langhi, each scoring 13 points in their final game in Purple and Gray. Hudspeth knocked down three three-pointers, staying aggressive from beyond the arc for most of the game. Langhi buoyed the offense in the second and third quarters, scoring all 11 of her 13 before the fourth quarter.
 
As a team, the Sugar Bears capitalized on their free throws, hitting all 17 attempts at the charity stripes. The consistent night at the line ties a program for the most free throws made in a game without a miss. Six players attempted freebies, with the Sugar Bears hitting 11-of-11 in the fourth quarter, which allowed them to cut the lead to as little as six.
 
Getting its first taste of ASUN postseason, Central Arkansas came out flat in the first half. Mustering just 14 points, the Sugar Bears couldn't get the lid off of the basket, falling behind by double-digits early. Langhi kept the Sugar Bears with a pulse, scoring six in the first half.
 
Initially, halftime did little to ease the sting of the first half. Down 23 midway through the quarter, it would have been easy to roll over and let the lead continue to get out of hand. Instead, the Sugar Bears mounted a 10-3 run to close the period, capped off by a Langhi three-pointer to narrow the lead to 16 points.
 
A 9-2 run cut the lead to single digits for the first time since the 2:31 mark in the first quarter. Randrea Wright sank six-straight free throws to trim it to six points, and the tide had seemed to have turned in favor of the Sugar Bears. But try as they might, the Sugar Bears couldn't get any closer, every time Central Arkansas threatened, the Dolphins kept the lead just large enough to whittle the clock down.
 
The Sugar Bears outscored the Dolphins 41-34 in the second half, hitting a season-high six three-pointers in addition to the perfection from the charity stripe. A problem in the last meeting between the teams, the Sugar Bears cut the turnovers down, even forcing more turnovers than Jacksonville; Central Arkansas won the turnover battle 14-18.
 
A new page turns as the Sugar Bears end their season. With a significant portion of the roster returning next season, including All-Freshman Wright, Central Arkansas can move forward with optimism that more time in head coach Sandra Rushing's system can yield more results next season.