JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Despite leading for much of the second half, the Central Arkansas women's basketball team gave up a run in the fourth quarter, and then couldn't hold on in overtime, dropping a 96-86 final at Jacksonville.
 
The Sugar Bears (9-8, 2-3 ASUN) had a pair of 20-point scorers against the Dolphins, getting a career-high 21 from Jenna Cook and 20 points from Cheyanne Kemp. Shae Littleford added 18, and Bree Stephens had a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double. The Sugar Bears also hit 15 three-pointers, including five from both Kemp and Cook.
 
Threes were important in the first quarter, because the Dolphin defense was willing to give them up early. All four of the field goals in the opening frame came from downtown, plus four free throws. On the other side, Jacksonville hit a couple of paint touches, a pair of threes, and six free throws to build a two-point lead.
 
Jacksonville pushed the lead to four before back-to-back scores by the Sugar Bears flipped it to a one-point lead for Central Arkansas. The lead swung back and forth over the duration of the second, with neither side building even a five-point lead. As the clock ticked down in the first half, Littleford hit a three-pointer to turn a one-point deficit to a two-point lead, and Laylah Reese went coast-to-coast after a defensive stop to hit a jumper in the paint to give the Sugar Bears a four-point advantage at the break. Kemp hit another pair of threes in the second quarter, scoring 12 points in the first half to lead all scorers.
 
Cook got going in the third quarter, playing aggressive offensively to tally eight points in the frame, including a pair of three-pointers of her own. Kemp continued to put the ball in the basket, scoring five more in the third to reach 17 points. But Jacksonville matched the Sugar Bears score for score, tying the game at 56-56 with two minutes left in the quarter. But a Cook three-pointer and an offensive putback at the buzzer by Kamryn Griffin bookended a split pair at the line by JU, keeping the Central Arkansas lead at four.
 
Central Arkansas built the lead to ten with back-to-back Cook threes to start the fourth, and seemed well in control. But little by little, as the clock ticked, Jacksonville trimmed a point here and a point there, eventually cutting it to two points with four minutes left. A quick 4-0 run put the lead back at six with 2:24 on the clock, and then again with 90 seconds to go. But some tough shot making by Jacksonville got the lead down to one, and the Dolphins were able to draw a foul with 0.7 seconds left on the clock. Fortunately for Central Arkansas, the shooter split the free throws, sending the game to overtime. But from there, Jacksonville was able to pull away, shooting efficiently and getting to the free throw line to claim the home game.
 
Central Arkansas will look to bounce back on Saturday, as the Sugar Bears face North Florida at 1 p.m. CT.