CONWAY, Ark. – Central Arkansas women's basketball is back on the road for two games, making the swing through the Bluegrass State. The Sugar Bears will start the road trip at EKU on Thursday, tipping off at 5:30 p.m., then wrap up on Saturday at Bellarmine at 1 p.m.
The Sugar Bears enter the week 14-10 overall and 7-5 in ASUN games after winning the last three games, all of which featured superb defensive numbers. Central Arkansas is allowing just 44.6 points per game over the last three, winning three ASUN games to get back in the hunt for second place. Last time out, the Sugar Bears controlled the second half to get a win over North Alabama, outscoring the Lions 34-22 to come away with the victory.
Cheyanne Kemp led the Sugar Bears in scoring for the third-straight game, notching 16 in this one. Kemp now ranks seventh in the ASUN in scoring during conference games, averaging 14.7 points per game.
Central Arkansas' three-game winning streak has moved the Sugar Bears into a tie for fourth in the ASUN standings, now just a game out of second place. This week features games against the No. 1 team in the conference in EKU, followed by the last-place team Bellarmine Knights. Last time the Sugar Bears played these two teams, the Sugar Bears trounced the Knights by 56 points, the largest margin of victory against a Division I opponent, before falling in the final minutes against EKU, dropping that result by ten.
EKU (21-4, 12-0 ASUN) continues to roll through the ASUN, with 14-straight wins dating back to non-conference. The Colonels are winning games by nearly 20 points per game in conference, with five double-digit scorers, solid rebounding across the roster, and ball security making the Colonels tough to beat.
But the last two games have both been close contests for EKU, defeating Lipscomb by six and Austin Peay by seven last week. The pair of games marked the first time since the start of conference that the Colonels have won back-to-back games by single digits. The Colonels' leading scorers in ASUN games have been Joseana Vaz and Ndidiamaka Ndukwe, who both average 14.8 points per game.
Bellarmine (2-23, 0-12 ASUN) on the other hand, continues to struggle with a thin roster. Winless in their last 20, the Knights have battled through injuries and other circumstances within the program. Last week, Bellarmine fell in a pair of road games at FGCU and Stetson, losing both games by more than 30 points each.
Only three Knights have played in all 25 games this season, including leading scorer Kayce Hyman. The sophomore forward averages 9.2 points per game, and leads her team with 74 field goals and 76 free throws this season.
Tip-off against EKU is set for 5:30 p.m. CT on Thursday, with a 1 p.m. CT start against Bellarmine on Saturday. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available online. As always, fans can also follow along with the action at The Bear 91.3, with Steve Owens on the call.
