CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas women's basketball team earned a win on day one of the 2026-27 season, defeating in-town foe Hendrix 97-40 Monday night.
The Sugar Bears (1-0) got to see a number of players impact the game, including Central Arkansas debuts from transfers
Tiani Ellison and
Layla-J Cameron, as well as freshmen
Avery Mier,
Faith McCallop, and
Sami Shaeffer. Ellison logged a double-double in her first appearance in Purple and Gray, registering 17 points and 11 rebounds in 19 minutes.
In all, five Sugar Bears scored in double-figures, including 17 points from
Laylah Reese, 12 points from
Emerie Bohanon, and ten apiece from
Paris Santacaterina and
Linda Amaning. McCallop put together a diverse statline, recording six points, six assists, five rebounds and five steals.
Central Arkansas jumped out with a flurry of shots early in the ball-game, jumping out to a double-digit lead in the first three minutes of the game. The Sugar Bear defense was active and alert early, forcing multiple turnovers and bad shots. On the other side, a Bohanon three-pointer built the lead to 19 points midway through the first, and the Sugar Bears cruised to a 30-point lead after the first. Hendrix missed all 11 shots in the first, scoring four points at the free throw line.
Paint touches was the name of the game in the second quarter, as the Sugar Bears capitalized on size and athleticism advantages to get low-post scores and easy layups to continue to build the lead. Reese in particular was aggressive finding her shot, scoring 11 points in the second as Central Arkansas added 12 to the lead before halftime. Hendrix hit some threes to put some points on the board, but Central Arkansas held a 60-18 lead at the midway point.
Starters mostly got a break in the third, and the Sugar Bears spread the ball around and let a lot of players see some touches. Ten Sugar Bears attempted at least one field goal in the frame, and the Sugar Bears added four to the lead in the quarter. Defense continued to be a strong suit, as the Sugar Bears held Hendrix to 26 percent shooting, and had the game well in control. The defense stayed locked in through the fourth quarter, limiting the Warriors to nine points on 21 percent shooting. On the other side, Central Arkansas put up 20 points, increasing the lead and coasting through the finish line.
The Sugar Bears will be on the road for the next pair of games, starting at Baylor on Thursday. Tip-off against the Bears is set for 7 p.m. in Waco, Texas.
