The University of Central Arkansas women's basketball team wrapped up the regular season on a 15-game winning streak after a 62-51 victory over Northwestern (La.) State in Natchitoches, La., on Saturday.
The Sugar Bears (24-4, 16-2 Southland) finished tied atop the conference standings with Abilene Christian, but they will be the No. 1 seed in the Southland Conference Tournament because Abilene Christian is ineligible for the postseason as it continues its transition to Division I.
Tied at 8-8 less than four minutes into the game, UCA ended the first quarter on a 9-2 run commenced by Taylor Baudoin's three-pointer with 3:42 left.
A back-and-forth second quarter was closed out by another Baudoin three-pointer as the Sugar Bears took a 30-22 halftime lead over the Lady Demons (13-16, 7-11).
The Sugar Bears built their biggest lead at 14 points by scoring the first six of the third quarter for a 36-22 edge on Baudoin's jumper with 8:00 to go in the third quarter.
Two free throws by Cheyenne Brown trimmed the Lady Demons' deficit to six with 4:40 remaining, but Maggie Proffitt hit a three-pointer on the next possession and the Sugar Bears were not threatened again.
Baudoin finished with 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting and chipped in with 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Proffitt scored 20 points.
Beatrice Attura scored a game-high 24 points for the Lady Demons.
The Sugar Bears made 25 of 49 shots (51 percent) while holding the Lady Demons to 16 of 43 (37.2 percent).
SUN BELT
UALR 74, TROY 63
Sharde Collins scored 27 points on 12-of-19 shooting from the floor and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (23-7, 17-1 Sun Belt) forced 19 Troy turnovers while holding the league's best offense to a conference season-low in points in the regular-season finale at Trojan Arena in Troy, Ala.
UALR, which will be the top seed in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament and face the winner of Tuesday's game between Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State, scored 21 points off Troy turnovers. But Troy (19-10, 12-6 Sun Belt) scored 31 points in the fourth quarter and trimmed UALR's lead to nine points before Kaitlyn Pratt scored six consecutive points on two layups and two free throws after a flagrant foul to preserve the victory.
Pratt finished with 15 points for UALR, while Ronjanae DeGray added 10.
SOUTH ALABAMA 71, ARKANSAS STATE 49
South Alabama opened the second quarter with an 8-2 run and used a 13-2 spree in the third to defeat Arkansas State University at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Ala.
The second-quarter run gave the Jaguars a 25-17 lead, their largest of the first half, after a three-pointer by Colby Davis. The Red Wolves shot just 34 percent from the floor in the first half and committed 12 turnovers.
South Alabama (10-19, 5-13 Sun Belt) led 49-33 after its run in the third quarter. A 6-0 ASU run in the fourth quarter trimmed the deficit to 51-40 after a Payton Tennison three-pointer, but Davis responded with a three-pointer to push the Jaguars' lead to 13 points.
Tennison led ASUSun Belt) and tied a career high with 11 points. Jada Ford also finished with 11 points for ASU. The Red Wolves will be the No. 11 seed in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament beginning Tuesday.
SWAC
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE 57, ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 54
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff led 13-4 over Mississippi Valley State after the first quarter, but the Devilettes shot 53.8 percent from the floor in the second to take the lead for good at the Harrison HPER Complex in Itta Bena, Miss.
Despite being outscored 23-13 in the second quarter, UAPB trailed only 27-26 at halftime. Both teams went cold from the floor in the third quarter, but MVSU was able to maintain its lead. The Golden Lions (12-17, 9-9 Southwestern Athletic) committed 21 turnovers and went 9 of 18 from the free-throw line while shooting 33.9 percent (20 of 59) from the floor.
Faith Ohanta led UAPB with 13 points and 16 rebounds, including 10 on the defensive end. Ashely Beals led MVSU (10-19, 7-11 SWAC) with 24 points and 17 rebounds, while Kenya Hailey poured in 17 points.
Sports on 03/05/2017