CONWAY, Ark. – Capping off a two-game road swing, the Central Arkansas women's basketball team will face RV Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday, tipping off against the Eagles at 6 p.m. CT. The Sugar Bears face a second team that was receiving votes in the NCAA's preseason coaches' poll.
 
Central Arkansas (6-9, 1-3 ASUN) couldn't quite hang on at Stetson on Thursday, falling 57-47 against the Hatters. Kinley Fisher tied a career-high with 14 points in the first half, with Randrea Wright adding 10 of her own, but turnovers and fouls kept the Sugar Bears from completing the comeback against the Hatters.
 
Fisher hit double-figures for the fourth time this season against the Hatters, hitting midrange after midrange to keep the Sugar Bears in the game in the first half. She also leads the team in three-pointers, hitting 15 triples so far. Wright, for her part, reached the 10-point mark for the fourth time in five games, and the seventh time overall on the year. Wright also leads the squad in assists, dishing out 45 to this point.
 
Despite the loss, Stetson represented the ninth opponent that the Sugar Bears have held below 60 points, including two-straight ASUN opponents. Central Arkansas is holding its opponents under 60 points per game for the entire season, holding Sugar Bear opponents to 27.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
 
Florida Gulf Coast (16-2, 4-0 ASUN) plays host this weekend on an eight-game win-streak, most recently sweeping a two-game set against North Alabama. Typical of a Karl Smesko-run team, the Eagles dominate opponents with the three-ball, outshooting their opponents 193-77 from beyond the arc. FGCU has hit double-digit threes in 11 games, and average over 10 makes per game.
 
Tishara Morehouse leads the team in scoring, netting 16.1 points per game, and ranks second on the team with 65 assists. Alyza Winston and Sha Carter join her in double-digits, averaging 14.2 and 10.8 points per game, respectively. Where teams do outperform the Eagles is on the glass, FGCU gets outrebounded by nearly two boards per game, surrendering 174 offensive rebounds while also getting outrebounded on the defensive glass.
 
Head coach Karl Smesko patrols the sideline for the Eagles, and has been the only head coach at FGCU. Coaching 21 years in Fort Myers, Smesko has racked up 565 wins, and has 626 career wins in 24 years as a head coach.
 
Tip-off against the Eagles is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available here. Fans can also keep up with the game on the radio, listening to Steve Owens on 91.3 The Bear.