CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas women's basketball team gears up for its second game in Florida this week, as the Sugar Bears face Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday. A rematch of the last two ASUN Championship Finals, the Sugar Bears and Eagles tip off at 1 p.m. CT.
The Sugar Bears (8-5, 1-0 ASUN) started the year off with a 65-43 win over Stetson, winning their ASUN opener for the third-straight season.
Shae Littleford led the team in scoring with 15 points, her seventh game of 15 points or more this season.
Linda Amaning had a great day on the boards, pulling down five offensive rebounds as part of an eight-point, nine-rebound effort, and Central Arkansas allowed just 17 points in the second half to cruise to an ASUN opening victory.
The road win moves head coach
Tony Kemper to 27-8 in ASUN games since becoming head coach, and marks back-to-back wins over Stetson.
This meeting with Florida Gulf Coast will be the fifth in the last three years, having played the Eagles twice in each of the last wo seasons, both in the regular season and the ASUN Championship Finals. And though the Eagles have won all four previous matchups, coaching and roster changes have the Eagles looking different than they ever have. FGCU is 5-7 overall, and took its ASUN opener over North Alabama 51-44, locking up in the fourth quarter after leading by just two entering the final quarter.
FGCU is led in scoring by Sinai Douglas, who averages 10.3 points per game. The Michigan State transfer leads the team with 44 field goals, and is second on the team with 13 three-pointers and 23 free throws. She also leads the team with 5.4 rebounds per game, 36 assists and 16 steals.
Unlike previous squads, this year's Eagles are not the three-point shooting team like years past. While normally, FGCU ranks among the country's leader in triples, this year's Eagles team averages a little more than five makes per game, and shoots just 27.2 percent from deep. FGCU still hangs its hat on its defense, allowing only 63 points per game on 38/26/62 shooting percentages.
Tip-off against the Eagles is set for 1 p.m. CT in Fort Myers. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available online. Fans can also follow the action at 91.3 The Bear, with Steve Owens on the call.
