CONWAY, Ark. - Riding a five-game winning streak, the Central Arkansas women's basketball team heads East to make the Kentucky run this week. The Sugar Bears first play Eastern Kentucky on Thursday at 6 p.m. CT, before facing Bellarmine at noon on Saturday. 

The Sugar Bears (11-5, 3-0 ASUN) took both games in a two-game home stand last week, beating Lipscomb and Austin Peay in the Farris Center. Central Arkansas benefited from multiple players in both games, getting game-high scoring from Randrea Wright (17 pts vs. Lipscomb) and Jade Upshaw (19 pts vs. Austin Peay). Elizabeth Abiara logged her first career double-double against the Bisons (10 pts, 10 reb) in her most complete game of the season. 

Defense again came up big in both games, especially from three. Lipscomb was held to 32 percent from the field and 19 percent from three, and the Govs were held to just 27 percent from three, marking the fourth- and fifth-straight games holding an opponent under 30 percent from distance. 

EKU (12-5, 1-2 ASUN) got back in the win column with a 13-point triumph over Bellarmine on Saturday. Antwainette Walker (21 pts) and Alice Recanati (19 pts) combined for 40 points as the Colonels jumped out to a 13-point lead after the first quarter. 

Walker is the team's leading scorer this season, averaging 20.7 points per contest. She leads the ASUN in scoring, and headlines the ASUN's second-leading offense (73.1 ppg). EKU also excels at forcing turnovers, causing nearly 21.5 turnovers per game from opponents, a number that ranks in the top-20 in the country. 

Bellarmine hosts the Sugar Bears with a 5-10 overall record and an 0-3 start in the ASUN. The Knights have dropped conference games to Austin Peay, Lipscomb and EKU. And while the Bellarmine opponents have increased scoring over time, the Knights have failed to top 66 points in any of the three games. 

Hailey Harrison has averaged 14.0 points per game since the start of conference games, going to the free throw line nearly nine times per game. But allowing a 15-plus point scorer in each game has put the Knights in a bad spot, allowing opponents to average 73.3 points per game. 

Tip-off against the Colonels is set for Thursday at 6 p.m. CT in Richmond, Kentucky, with Saturday's game against the Knights set for noon CT. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available online for both games. Fans can also follow along on The Bear 91.3, with Steve Owens on the call.