CONWAY, Ark. – Back on the road for its weekend game, the Central Arkansas women's basketball team heads to Kennesaw, Ga., to face the Owls on Saturday. Tipping off the action at 1 p.m. CT, the Sugar Bears look to keep their hot start to ASUN play rolling against the Owls.
Last time out, the Sugar Bears took a commanding 76-57 home win over Queens on Wednesday.
Randrea Wright led the way with 16 points on an efficient 6-of-12 shooting, adding a pair of three-pointers and two free throws.
Jade Upshaw and
Leah Mafua also scored in double-figures, each netting ten points. Defensively, Central Arkansas held the Royals to just a single three-pointer, allowing only 1-of-6 from beyond the arc.
With her double-figure scoring output, Wright hit the 15-point mark for the fifth time this season, tied for the second-most on the team. The junior guard is averaging 11.4 points per game this season, and has been even better since the start of conference play, with a 12.5 point per game average in ASUN games. She, along with
Kinley Fisher, Upshaw and Mafua, are all averaging double-figures on the season.
Last season's matchup with the Owls saw the Sugar Bears take a four-point win after Central Arkansas held on late.
Kierra Prim and Fisher combined for 22 points in the win, with Prim scoring 16 points and hitting all eight of her free throws.
Kennesaw State has rebounded from a tough nonconference run to win four of its first six ASUN games, and sits 8-11 overall with a 4-2 ASUN slate. After winning four-straight to start conference, the Owls have dropped two in a row, falling in both halves of a two-game road swing at FGCU and North Alabama. Against the Lions, Kennesaw State struggled to hit shots in both the first and third quarters, shooting a combined 8-of-32 in the opening quarters of each half. On the other side, North Alabama was able to shoot 45 percent in the second half, including seven three-pointers, as the Lions were able to pull away.
So far this year, Prencis Harden has been the leading scorer for the Owls, averaging 13.6 points per contest. She does most of her work from inside and at the free throw line, scoring all 88 field goals inside the three-point line and adding a team-best 63 free throws. She is joined in double-figures by Carly Hooks, who scores 10.9 points per game.
Kennesaw State has relied heavily on the inside game, hitting only 49 three-pointers through 19 games, converting on just 23 percent of their 213 attempts. The struggles from distance has limited the Owl offense to scoring over 65 only once, scoring 82 against Coastal Georgia.
Tip-off against the Owls is set for 1 p.m. CT on Saturday. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available online. Fans can also follow along with the action on The Bear 91.3, with Steve Owens on the call.
