KENNESAW, Ga. – Despite being shorthanded, the Central Arkansas women's basketball team came up in the biggest moments against Kennesaw State, grinding out a gutsy win over the Owls Saturday afternoon.
Siera Carter played the role of hometown hero in the Peach State, scoring 11 second half points, including free throws to give the Sugar Bears a seven-point lead with 25 seconds left. She would finish with a season-high 15 points on 5-of-8 from the floor with five free throws added on.
Kyjai Miles was all over the glass, inhaling a career-high 14 boards while adding eight points, two assists and a block.
The Sugar Bears came out of the gates with bad intentions, as
Kinley Fisher opened the game with a three-pointer on the first possession, setting the tone for the game as Central Arkansas kept a one-possession lead for the opening four minutes of the quarter. Tied at 10-10 with just over five minutes in the quarter, Central Arkansas closed the frame on a 9-3 run to close the first up six.
Kierra Prim had eight points in the quarter, hitting 3-of-4 from the field and a pair of free throws. Five Sugar Bears found buckets in the first, leading to a 58 percent shooting percentage.
Just like in the first, Central Arkansas leapt into the second quarter with gusto, jumping out to an 8-4 run to push the lead to ten. The Sugar Bears collected three offensive rebounds, capped by a
Randrea Wright jumper that forced a timeout by the Owls. But try as they might, the Owls couldn't cut more than three points off the lead, as the Sugar Bears dug their heels into the hardwood and locked in defensively. Holding Kennesaw State scoreless for the final two minutes of the half, the Sugar Bears were able to head to the locker room up 29-22, having held the Owls to just nine points in the second on 28 percent from the floor.
The first half came down to the difference in shooting percentages, as both sides were able to keep out of too much foul trouble and turnovers remained nearly identical. But Central Arkansas shot 17 percent better from the floor, 48 percent compared to 31, leading to the seven-point advantage at the break. Only one Owl hit multiple shots in the first half, eight Owls hit either just one bucket or zero through 20 minutes of gameplay.
Kennesaw State wasn't backing down, however, muscling inside and drawing fouls in the third, giving the Sugar Bears trouble and whittling the lead, eventually tying the game five and a half minutes into the third. But a 6-0 response by Central Arkansas, with four at the foul line, kept the Sugar Bears afloat and ahead. Up five and feeling the pressure from the Kennesaw press, the ball ping-ponged up to Miles, who heaved one from the logo as the buzzer sounded, swishing through the triple to end the quarter.
Up eight as the fourth started, things started to get sluggish for Central Arkansas, allowing Kennesaw State to inch the lead down. An 8-1 run from the Owls, largely due to full-court pressure causing turnovers, cut the lead to just one with 3:39 remaining in the game. Trading buckets, the Owls took a one-point lead with just under two minutes, with the press threatening to break the Sugar Bears. But this is where Carter, from nearby East Point, Ga., took over. Driving into the paint, she tossed up an and-one floater to reclaim the lead, following it with another paint touch to increase the lead to four. Three more free throws by the Sugar Bears, including two from Carter, and the game seemed out of reach, with Central Arkansas up seven with 25 seconds to go.
But Kennesaw State wasn't done fighting, coming down the court and hitting a three, then stealing the inbounds for a layup, and in the blink of an eye, the lead was two with 18 seconds left. Getting the ball inbounds to Keirra Prim, the 85 percent free throw shooter knocked down two to lift the Bears away to the win.
The win snaps a five-game losing streak for the Sugar Bears, who pick up their second conference win of the season. Central Arkansas needed every last free throw against the Owls, hitting 20 in the game, setting a new season-high. The Sugar Bears also, despite being shorthanded and outsized, corralled a season-best 33 defensive rebounds against one of the better offensive rebounding teams in the ASUN.
Returning home for the next one, Central Arkansas plays next Thursday against North Alabama, celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Tip-off against the Lions is set for 7 p.m.
