CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas women's basketball team stays on the road for the next one, playing its first Power 4 game of the season. Up next, the Sugar Bears face Oklahoma State on Wednesday, tipping-off against the Cowgirls at 11 a.m.
The Sugar Bears are off to their first 3-0 start since 2013-14, having defeated UT Martin last time out.
Jade Upshaw led the way with 22 points, earning her first ASUN Player of the Week of the season. She currently ranks first on the team and third in the ASUN averaging 17.0 points per game. The senior guard currently has shooting splits of 54 percent from the field and 45 percent from three.
But Upshaw is far from the only contributor this season, three other Sugar Bears average double-digit scoring through three games.
Leah Mafua has similar shooting numbers to Upshaw, and is averaging 13.0 points per game.
Kinley Fisher leads the team with 11 made free throws and is averaging 12.7 points per contest, and
Cheyanne Kemp has come out of the gates on a tear, shooting 58 percent from the field and 60 percent from three, averaging 10.0 points per game as she starts her sophomore season.
Oklahoma State enters the game 4-0 on the year, having most recently been tested for the first time against Fairfield. The 64-62 win came down to the wire, with the Stags cutting the lead to two points with 36 seconds left. After missing a jumper at the end of the shot clock, the Cowgirls were able to hold on for the final few seconds, not even allowing a shot attempt as the clock expired.
The Cowgirls are led this season by Anna Gret Asi, averaging 17.3 points per game. The senior guard has a team-high 13 three-pointers already this year, knocking them down at a 44.8 percent clip. Like the Sugar Bears, the Cowgirls have multiple double-digit scorers, with five total players averaging double-figures through four games. As a team, Oklahoma State is shooting 52 percent from the field and 39 percent from deep, putting an immense amount of pressure on opposing defenses.
In addition to the great scoring numbers, the Cowgirls benefit from a lot of ball-movers. Four players on the team have more than ten assists already this season, with nearly 50 percent of the team's baskets being assisted. The ball-movement has created a bunch of easy looks for the Cowgirls, and at 52 percent from the field, Oklahoma State is taking advantage of those opportunities.
Tip-off against Oklahoma State is set for 11 a.m. on Wednesday. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available. Fans can also catch the action at 91.3 The Bear, with Steve Owens on the call.
