CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas women's basketball team gets set for their fifth of six-straight on the road, staying in the state of Arkansas to face Little Rock on Saturday. Playing in the fifth iteration of the Governor's I-40 Challenge, the game against the Trojans starts at 1 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center.
The Sugar Bears (4-3) picked up their fourth win of the season with a 77-64 win over Lindenwood on Wednesday. It marked the third time this season that the team has eclipsed the 70-point threshold, all of which have been wins. Central Arkansas shot 54 percent from the field in the win, headlined by three players shooting 70 percent or better.
Destine Duckworth shot 4-for-5 for eight points,
Cheyenne Banks was 7-for-9 from the floor, scoring 14 points on 77 percent shooting, and
Kinley Fisher led the team with 19 points on 6-of-8 from the floor.
Fisher leading the team in scoring is nothing new this season, with Wednesday's game being the third-straight outing for the junior. The Greenwood native leads the team in scoring this year at 13 points per game, one of four players scoring in double-figures. But unlike the other three, Fisher has done all of her damage off the bench, not starting a single game so far this season. But coming off the bench hasn't been because of a lack of talent, Fisher's versatility and ability to create for herself and others has been a key asset for first-year head coach Tony Kemper.
Defense also continued to be a strong point for the Sugar Bears, who held Lindenwood to 39 percent from the field and 18 percent from three. Combine the offensive shooting with the defensive pressure, and the Sugar Bears have both the highest offensive shooting percentage and the lowest shooting percentage allowed in the Atlantic Sun. Wednesday marked the third game of the season that the Sugar Bears' opponent has shot under 20 percent from three, and the sixth time in seven games that the Sugar Bears have had a higher percentage from distance than their opponent.
Little Rock (0-5) has done what the Trojans always do, open the season with an incredibly difficult schedule. Playing three SEC teams, Kansas State and Missouri State, the Trojans have already played two nationally ranked teams in their first five outings. Last time out, Little Rock fell by just 13 points at No. 19 Ole Miss. The Rebels were forced into 19 turnovers, and if not for the free throw differential (7 to 23) the Trojans were otherwise right in the game. Faith Lee led the Trojans with 16 points on 7-of-18 shooting.
Lee is the top scorer for the Trojans this season, tallying 12.6 points per game. She is the only player averaging double-figures, a product of playing such a difficult schedule. And despite only scoring 41.2 points per game, Little Rock still boasts the third-best defense in the OVC, surrendering 65.4 points to four Power Five teams and Missouri State.
Tip-off against the Trojans is set for 1 p.m. The game will have live stats available, and Steve Owens will broadcast the game on The Bear 91.3, live from the Jack Stephens Center.
