ATLANTA, Ga. – The Central Arkansas women's basketball team finished off a 3-0 week in Atlanta Wednesday, controlling the Georgia State Panthers for 40 minutes to earn another double-digit win.
 
The Sugar Bears improved to 5-2 after blasting out of the gates in the first quarter, then again in the third to coast to a fourth-straight win. Bree Stephens and Paris Santacaterina logged double-doubles in the win, with Stephens posting 15 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks, while her Aussie teammate had 15 points and 13 rebounds, hitting three three-pointers and snaring five offensive rebounds.
 
Central Arkansas came out raring to go on both sides of the ball, opening a 13-0 run to start the game and holding the home team to 12-straight misses to open the game. On the other side, Santacaterina scored 11 of the team's first 13 points, hitting three shots from beyond the arc during the run. The Sugar Bears continued to pour it on, and a Stephens layup at the buzzer had Central Arkansas up 22-5 after the opening ten minutes. Stephens had seven points of her own, meaning two Sugar Bears outscored the Panthers individually in the first.
 
Georgia State started to find a little bit more of a rhythm in the second quarter, as the home team's defense started forcing a few turnovers to get Central Arkansas out of its own rhythm. But the Sugar Bear defense continued to make life tough for the Panthers, and even through the offensive struggles, Central Arkansas only allowed 14 points on 33 percent shooting. By halftime, the Sugar Bears had dropped seven three-pointers and held Georgia State to 16 percent shooting, taking a 15-point lead into the locker room.
 
After the Panthers closed the gap to 13 points, the Sugar Bears locked back in. A 16-2 run took all the wind out of the home team's sails, and rebuilt the lead to 24 late in the third quarter. Shae Littleford found a groove in the frame, hitting four shots, including a pair of three-pointers, as the Sugar Bears reestablished an unreachable lead. Ball movement continued to be important as well, with six assists on the ten baskets in the third. Jenna Cook and Cheyanne Kemp had two dimes each in the quarter, part of the 17 total assist by the Sugar Bears.
 
With the lead peaking at 28 points, the Sugar Bears were able to get the bench in for much of the fourth quarter. The four Conway Wampus Cats, Emerie Bohanon, Alexis Cox, Alivia Cox, and Kaideyn Beckwith, even spent some time together on the floor with freshman Carla Ramirez to close out the game. The five closed out this one, making it five-straight wins in the city of Atlanta, dating back to a pair of wins over Kennesaw State when the Owls were members of the ASUN.
 
The Sugar Bears are back at home for the next one, taking on intown foe Hendrix on Monday, December 1^st. Tip-off against the Warriors is set for 6:30 p.m. in the Farris Center.