ST. CHARLES, Mo. _ The University of Central Arkansas Sugar Bears rode a 26-point third quarter to an easy 77-64 victory over the Lindenwood Lions on Wednesday night at Hyland Arena.

The Sugar Bears (4-3) shot 60 percent from the field in the third period, including 4 of 6 from three-point range. Junior guard Jade Upshaw made three of those from beyond the arc as UCA broke away from a 33-26 halftime lead.

For the game, UCA shot 54.4 percent overall and held Lindenwood to 39.4 percent. The Lions (0-5) needed a 50 percent fourth quarter to get to that mark. The Sugar Bears also dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Lions 40-27, led by seven each from junior forward Bree Stephens and junior forward Cheyenne Banks. 

UCA finished with four players in double figures, with junior guard Kinley Fisher scoring a game-high 19, going 6 of 8 from the field. Banks added 14 points, shooting 7 of 9, while junior guard Randrea Wright scored 12 points and had a team-high 5 assists. Upshaw chipped in 11 points and 6 rebounds for UCA.

The Sugar Bears scored 54 of their points in the paint, capitalizing on 14 offensive rebounds.

Mya Skoff led Lindenwood with 12 points and Makayla Wallace added 10. Ellie Brueggemann, Lindenwood's leading scorer entering the game, was held to six points.

UCA returns to action on Saturday, taking on the Little Rock Trojans at 1 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock.

QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH ANTHONY KEMPER:

"It's good to win. There were a lot of things in that game that we did pretty well. Cheyenne Banks was really, really good. She really impacted the game. She struggled out in Colorado and we needed her. We have really good character within our locker room, and we kind of challenged her a little bit to come on. And that's what she did, she was really good".

"Leah (Mafua) was great on No. 4 (Brueggemann). That's a veteran who has played a whole lot of college games vs. a really talented player. Leah was really good on her. In a way, that's kind of the difference in the game. She averages 16 or so a game and got six tonight, and it's a 13-point game at the end. "It was huge, and to be honest, I didn't think we could do that. She's really long and she has a super quick release. It's hard to simulate that in practice. And Leah just did her thing. That's just a good player. I told her I don't want her to shoot and she didn't shoot, so good job Leah."

"Jade was really good. We had it in our head we couldn't make one in here because the rims are pretty tight. And I told them at halftime, that's not what they are paid to think. And I love Jade as a shooter because she does not remember if the last one went in or not. Actually she remembers when they go in because she gets real hot. It doesn't take her long to feel good. Some shooters are like, it's not my night. That's not Jade".