JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Central Arkansas women's basketball team competed in the ASUN Semifinals for the third straight year but fell to the No. 2 seed Jacksonville Dolphins Saturday afternoon.
 

The Sugar Bears leave the ASUN Tournament with a 21–11 record after a battle with Jacksonville University. Shae Littleford led the team with 19 points, followed by Cheyanne Kemp with 11, while Bree Stephens and Jenna Cook each added nine points.


Jacksonville led 21–14 at the end of the first quarter. Kemp cut into the Dolphins' lead early in the second quarter with a three-pointer off an assist by Laylah Reese, but turnovers plagued the Sugar Bears, keeping them from gaining a foothold in the first half. The Sugar Bears continued to battle in a back-and-forth stretch, but Jacksonville pushed its advantage to a game-high 13 midway through the second and carried that momentum into halftime with a 35–25 lead.
 

Central Arkansas responded early in the third quarter, cutting Jacksonville's lead during a quick scoring run. Kemp started the run with a layup before coming up with a steal that led to a fastbreak score, drawing the foul and completing the three-point play. The momentum continued on the defensive end as Cook forced a steal that set up Littleford for another fastbreak layup to keep the Sugar Bears within reach, but the deficit after three quarters was still six.


After the Sugar Bears trimmed Jacksonville's lead to four with 6:30 left in the fourth, the Dolphins responded to regain control and push the lead back out to nine. Jacksonville capitalized on transition opportunities and continued pressure defensively, keeping the Sugar Bears from finding an offensive rhythm as the clock ticked away. Despite getting close throughout the fourth, Central Arkansas just couldn't find a late run to close the gap.


"This team is a family, and families stick together," senior Bree Stephens said following the game. Stephens has been a part of all three teams that have reached at least the ASUN Championship Semifinal round.


A two-time ASUN Defensive Player of the Year, Stephens reached 50 blocks this season during the semifinal game against the Dolphins. Against Jacksonville last season, Stephens set the Sugar Bears' Division I career block record with her 107th block, and now enters postseason play with 175 career rejections.
 

Central Arkansas closes the season with its third consecutive 21-win season and will now await potential postseason invitations, including a possible third-straight WNIT appearance.