The University of Central Arkansas women's basketball team is tired of waiting.
The 2018-19 season needs to hurry up.
"This time of year is boring for most players," UCA Coach Sandra Rushing said. "They're ready to play games. We're ready to play new people, just because we see each other every day."
The Sugar Bears, who were predicted by the league's coaches to finish third in the Southland Conference, will open the regular season at 7 p.m. on Tuesday against Central Baptist College at the Farris Center in Conway.
"We still have so much that we have to put in. I wish we had another month," Rushing said. "However, we don't. My philosophy early is always you have to play hard, you have to be in shape, and you have to be strong enough and everything will come into place as long as your players are coachable. And they have been."
UCA's nonconference schedule will feature trips to Jackson State and Alcorn State -- two members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference -- and Power 5 meetings at Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Kansas State.
It will also host South Alabama, Hendrix College, Crowley's Ridge College from Paragould and Williams Baptist University at the Farris Center before conference play begins Dec. 31 versus Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
"They are different types of teams that are going to help us and prepare us for the competition that's in our conference," Rushing said. "It's really going to help our new people and young people grow up pretty quick. They're figuring out there's a different level of speed in this game."
UCA will return three senior guards -- Kamry Orr, Antonija Bozic and Alanie Fisher -- from the 2017-18 season.
Junior guards Taylor Sells and Maddie Goodner, who have each appeared in more than 50 games at UCA, are the only two remaining Sugar Bears from the Southland Tournament championship-winning team in 2017.
The Sugar Bears will be without their their leading scorer from last season, Taylor Baudoin, who scored 16 points per game and was the only player to make more than 200 field goals a season ago.
UCA has welcomed four newcomers to the bunch: freshman guards Carley Hudspeth and Kavaci-A Johnson, and 5-11 forward Alana Canady; and one transfer, 6-1 junior forward Keturah Bingham.
Bingham, a native of Monroe, La., averaged 11 points and 7.5 rebounds at Southwest Mississippi Community College last season.
"Well, they have grown, but that goes back to the returning players being able to help them grow," Rushing said. "I have three seniors that have only been with me for one year. And sometimes, you never know what to expect. But these seniors have absolutely been great leaders and have helped the new people -- the freshman, especially -- and have kind of taken them under their wing."
UCA women’s schedule
DATE OPPONENT TIME/RESULT
Nov. 6 Central Baptist College 7 p.m.
Nov. 10 Hendrix College noon
Nov. 13 at Jackson State 6 p.m.
Nov. 17 South Alabama 2 p.m.
Nov. 28 at Alcorn State 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 1 Crowley’s Ridge Coll.at 2 p.m.
Dec. 5 Oklahoma 2 p.m.
Dec. 8 at Texas A&M 2 p.m.
Dec. 17 Williams Baptist 2 p.m.
Dec. 20 at Kansas State 7 p.m.
Dec. 31 TAMU-Corpus Christi* 1 p.m.
Jan. 5 at SE Louisiana* 1 p.m.
Jan. 9 at Sam Houston St.*6:30 p.m.
Jan. 12 at Lamar* 1 p.m.
Jan. 16 Incarnate Word* 7 p.m.
Jan. 19 Nicholls State* 2 p.m.
Jan. 23 at New Orleans* 7 p.m.
Jan. 26 at Abilene Christian* 1 p.m.
Jan. 30 Stephen F. Austin* 7 p.m.
Feb. 2 NW (La.) State* 2 p.m.
Feb. 9 SE Louisiana* 2 p.m.
Feb. 13 at Houston Baptist* 7 p.m.
Feb. 20 McNeese State* 7 p.m.
Feb. 23 at Nicholls State* 4 p.m.
Feb. 27 at Stephen F. Austin*6:30 p.m.
Mar. 2 Abilene Christian* 2 p.m.
Mar. 6 Sam Houston State* 7 p.m.
Mar. 9 at NW (La.) State* 1 p.m.
Mar. 12-17 at SLC Tournament, Katy, Texas
*Southland Conference game
Sports on 11/02/2018