CONWAY, Ark. - At least one more game for the Central Arkansas Sugar Bears, who open the WNIT on Thursday against Saint Louis. Tip-off against the Billikens is set for 6:30 p.m. in the Farris Center. 

The Sugar Bears (21-11) ended their ASUN Tournament as runners-up, falling to FGCU last Saturday. After holding the Eagles in check in the first half, the No. 1 seed got going in the second half, halting the turnaround run of the Sugar Bears. 

Thursday will mark the third national postseason tournament being held in the Farris Center, and the first since the 2018 WBI. But these Sugar Bears hosted two games of the ASUN Championship this season, giving this team a head start on the pressure of hosting high-stakes games. Thursday also gives Central Arkansas a chance to extend its home winning streak, which stands at a perfect 14-0 this season. 

Saint Louis (17-18) ended its run in the A-10 Tournament in the semifinals, falling to Rhode Island last Saturday. Trailing by 16 at halftime, the Billikens cut the lead to two points with under two minutes to go, but couldn't quite get over the hump, falling by six. 

The Billikens are bolstered by three all-conference selections, notably Second Team All-A10 guard Kyla McMakin. She led the A-10 in scoring, averaging 17.0 points, and became the third women's basketball player to score 1,000 points at multiple Division I schools. Additionally, Saint Louis had two athletes on the all-defensive team, Julia Martinez and Kennedy Calhoun. 

Martinez led her conference in steals, plucking 74 live ball turnovers, and was second on the team averaging 6.4 boards per game in conference play. Calhoun ranked third in the league in steals per game, averaging 2.0 swipes per contest. 

Central Arkansas and Saint Louis rip off at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available online. And, as always, fans can catch the action on The Bear 91.3, with Steve Owens on the call.