CONWAY, Ark. – On the road for the first away game of the ASUN slate, the Central Arkansas women's basketball team heads to Lynchburg, Va., for a battle with Liberty. Tipping off at 2:30 p.m. CT, this trip marks the first trip to Lynchburg for the Sugar Bears
 
Last time out, the Sugar Bears (5-7, 0-1 ASUN) dropped their conference opener to Jacksonville State on Monday, falling 65-45. After falling behind early, Central Arkansas played the second half with much more focus and energy, keeping pace with the Gamecocks in the final two quarters, although the deficit from the first two proved to be too much to overcome. Freshman Parris Atkins continued her strong offensive play, leading the team with 13 points, her fifth-consecutive game in double-figures. Kyjai Miles added eight points and nine rebounds, nearly coming away with her second double-double of the year.
 
Atkins remains the team-leader in scoring after Monday's game, averaging 10.8 points per game through the New Year, she also leads the team with 20 steals. Randrea Wright is at the top of the roster in assists, dishing out 36 helpers, and has made a living at the free throw line, connecting on 36-of-47, shooting nearly four freebies a game.
 
The No. 2 seed from the ASUN East last season, Liberty took the one contest between the Lady Flames and Sugar Bears last season, evening the all-time series at 1-1 with a 79-51 win in Conway. Central Arkansas had previously defeated Liberty back in December of 2016, as part of the Rae & Craig Blair Memorial Tournament hosted by UTSA.
 
Liberty (6-6, 0-1 ASUN) also fell in its conference opener, falling 70-53 under a torrent of three-pointers against Florida Gulf Coast. The Eagles shot 37.5 percent from beyond the arc, connecting on 12 triples, while the Lady Flames were held to just two three-pointers and shot just 41 percent from the field. Mya Berkman continued to do what she does, battling down low for easy buckets, and scored 17 points on 11 shots, but her contributions weren't enough on their own.
 
Berkman leads the Lady Flames in scoring this season, putting up 14.8 points per contest on a league-best 68 percent shooting; her shooting percentage also ranks third in the entire country. The redshirt senior also has a second home at the free throw line, with 64 foul shots through 12 games.
 
Liberty has struggled this season with turnovers, ranking in the bottom half of the conference in turnovers per game (16.8), while also being in the bottom three of the league in turnovers forced (13.00), giving the Lady Flames a bottom three turnover margin in the conference (-3.75). But, a top-tier offensive efficiency has helped the Lady Flames mitigate that downside, as Liberty ranks in the top-five in the conference in field goal percentage (42.7%), offensive rebounds per game (13.1 orpg) and rebounding margin (+6.5 rpg).
 
Tip-off against the Lady Flames is set for 2:30 p.m. CT in Lynchburg, Va. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, with live stats available here. Fans can also keep up with the game on 91.3 The Bear, with Steve Owens on the call for all the Sugar Bear action.