The Central Arkansas women’s basketball team secured its third consecutive win on Monday, defeating the North Alabama Lions 59-48 at the Farris Center in Conway, Arkansas.
With this victory, the Sugar Bears improved their overall record to 14-10 and moved to 7-5 in ASUN conference play. Their home record now stands at 7-3. Cheyanne Kemp led Central Arkansas with 16 points and seven rebounds. Shae Littleford contributed 13 points, while Bree Stephens recorded ten points, seven rebounds, four assists, four blocks, and three steals.
Central Arkansas limited North Alabama to 35 percent shooting from the field and just 22 percent from three-point range. The Sugar Bears also forced 16 turnovers during the game.
The first quarter saw both teams tied at eight before North Alabama went on a short run. However, Central Arkansas responded with a series of plays including a steal and score by Littleford and a three-pointer by Stephens. Jenna Cook added a sequence with a three-pointer followed by a steal and score as part of a 10-0 run that turned an early deficit into a lead for the Sugar Bears.
In the second quarter, neither team was able to pull away significantly. The largest lead for Central Arkansas came after Kemp hit a three-pointer but North Alabama closed the gap before halftime, entering the break ahead by one point.
After halftime, Julianna Gibson tied the game for Central Arkansas at the free throw line. The teams exchanged leads until back-to-back scores put Central Arkansas ahead again. A key stretch came when Littleford completed a three-point play followed by another basket from beyond the arc as part of her eight-point third quarter performance.
Early in the fourth quarter, Stephens and Cook made consecutive three-pointers to extend Central Arkansas’ lead to double digits. Although North Alabama managed to cut into that margin briefly, Central Arkansas answered with an eight-point run that put them firmly in control for the remainder of the game.
The Sugar Bears held North Alabama to only 22 points in the second half while scoring 34 themselves. Littleford scored eleven points after halftime as Central Arkansas limited their opponents to just 32 percent shooting from the field and 18 percent from long range over those two quarters.
Central Arkansas has now won five of its last seven games. The team’s next matchup is scheduled against Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) on Thursday in Richmond, Kentucky; EKU is currently undefeated in conference play.
