The Central Arkansas women’s basketball team is traveling to Atlanta for a Thanksgiving tournament hosted by Georgia State. The Sugar Bears will compete in three games over three days, beginning with Samford on Monday at 1:30 p.m., followed by Stony Brook on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., and concluding against Georgia State on Wednesday at 11 a.m.
Central Arkansas currently holds a 2-2 record after securing a home victory over Arkansas State. In that game, the team managed to overcome consistent full-court pressure from the Red Wolves, relying on strong performances in the first and fourth quarters. Shae Littleford led all scorers with 23 points and surpassed 1,000 career points during the contest.
Littleford is now leading the team in scoring with an average of 18.0 points per game, which is also the highest in the ASUN conference. Cheyanne Kemp follows as sixth in the ASUN, averaging 16.0 points per game. Bree Stephens and Jenna Cook are also contributing double-digit averages this season with 12.0 and 10.0 points per game, respectively. Stephens leads Central Arkansas in several categories: rebounds (8.0 per game), assists (11 total), blocks (7), and steals (8).
Samford enters the tournament with a 3-3 record, having played three Power 4 teams this season and only two home games so far. The Bulldogs rely heavily on three-point shooting, averaging more than 30 attempts per game across all six contests. Briana Rivera stands out as their primary scorer with an average of 14.5 points per game; notably, she has made 27 of her 28 field goals from beyond the arc and shoots at a rate of 43.5 percent from long range.
Stony Brook comes into the event at 2-3 overall, claiming wins against Division II Malloy and Rutgers on the road. The Seawolves have limited opponents to an average of just under 60 points per game over their last three matchups and feature three players—Diaka Berete (12.0 ppg), Janay Brantley (11.6 ppg), and Caitlin Frost (11.6 ppg)—averaging double figures.
Georgia State holds a similar record at 2-3 but has played most games away from home except for its season opener against Oglethorpe in Atlanta. The Panthers recently lost by four points to Auburn but feature Crystal Henderson as their top scorer among all teams participating this week with an average of 18.6 points per game while also leading her team in assists (24) and steals (15). Kaleigh Addie adds another offensive threat at 15.2 points per game alongside Morgan Robinson-Nwagwu’s contribution of nearly fourteen.
Fans can follow live statistics for each matchup during the tournament; only Wednesday’s contest versus Georgia State will be streamed live via ESPN+. All games will be broadcast locally on radio station 91.3 The Bear with Steve Owens providing commentary.
