Central Arkansas women’s basketball was unable to overcome Florida Gulf Coast in a home game Thursday night, losing 63-52. The Sugar Bears kept the contest close and cut the Eagles’ lead to two points in the fourth quarter, but could not maintain their offensive momentum in the closing minutes.
With this loss, Central Arkansas drops to an 11-9 overall record and stands at 4-4 in ASUN conference play. Shae Littleford led Central Arkansas with 17 points, while Bree Stephens contributed 16. Despite these efforts, the team struggled with shooting accuracy during critical moments late in the game.
The first quarter saw both teams pushing for a fast start. After FGCU began with a five-point run, Littleford responded with five consecutive points to tie it up. Both teams traded baskets and leads throughout the period, ending tied after a late three-pointer by FGCU.
The second quarter featured high energy but fewer successful shots from either side. It took nearly four minutes for either team to score, and neither shot above 30 percent for the period. FGCU outscored Central Arkansas 11-5 in this frame, holding a six-point advantage at halftime.
In the third quarter, Central Arkansas managed to keep within reach of FGCU despite briefly falling behind by as many as 13 points. Bree Stephens played a key role by scoring eight points during this stretch, helping reduce the deficit to nine heading into the final quarter.
The Sugar Bears started strong in the fourth quarter with Jenna Cook scoring on a fast break and Stephens hitting a three-pointer as part of a 5-0 run that brought them within four points of FGCU. They narrowed it further to two before turnovers allowed FGCU to rebuild its lead and secure victory.
Central Arkansas will return to action quickly as they host Stetson at Farris Center on Saturday at 1 p.m., marking the first game of a double-header with the men’s team.
