CONWAY, Ark. – Central Arkansas shot over 50.0 percent from the field to top the Alcorn State University women's basketball program 75-52 Monday night at the Farris Center.
The Lady Braves were paced by senior guard Tia Sanders and sophomore guard Jada Hargrove in the loss with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Sanders shot 4-10 (40.0 percent) from the field and 3-4 (75.0 percent) from the free-throw line. She added a rebound, two assists, and a steal to her totals. Hargrove went 4-8 (50.0 percent) from the floor, including 2-4 (50.0 percent) from beyond the arc), with four boards and an assist. Senior guard Alexus Freeman chipped in six points, led the team on the glass with six rebounds, and earned five assists with a pair of steals.
As a team, Alcorn shot 22-64 (34.4 percent) from the field, 3-14 (21.4 percent) from long-range, and 5-10 (50.0 percent) from the line.
The Lady Braves scored the first two baskets of the game, but that would be Alcorn's largest lead of the night. The Sugar Bears (2-1) tied the score at 6-6 on a Taylor Baudoin layup midway through the opening quarter. The bucket kicked off an 11-0 run by the hosts and UCA never looked back.
The second half saw Alcorn score its most points in the game with 19, but UCA also had its most productive quarter with 28 points. A fast-break layup by Sanders cut the Sugar Bear lead to single digits 28-20 with 6:31 to go in the second, but that was the closest the Lady Braves would get. UCA held a 45-27 advantage as the teams went into the locker rooms.
Kierra Jordan recorded a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double and Baudoin finished with 20 points and seven boards to pace UCA. Also reaching double-figure scoring was Kamry Orr with 14 points and Angel Williams with 10.
Alcorn scored more second-chance points (12-11) and more fast-break points (6-4). The Lady Braves bench outscored the Sugar Bears' 14-11.
"We've got to do a better job of rotating and playing post defense," said head coach Courtney G. Pruitt. "We can't lick our wounds too long because we've got a very tough Southern Miss team Friday night. We shot the ball poorly tonight and never recovered from foul trouble and Central Arkansas getting to the free-throw line 12 times to our five. We've been preaching to our bench that their presence is crucial. Our starters and our bench got into early foul trouble tonight."
Next up for the Lady Braves is a trip to Hattiesburg, Miss. this weekend for the Southern Miss. Thanksgiving Classic. Alcorn takes on the host Friday at 6 p.m. and will play Stephen F. Austin in a 2 p.m. contest on Saturday. Both games will be played in Reed Green Coliseum.
NOTES
- With the loss, Alcorn is now 1-1 this season against Southland Conference opponents. The only other meeting with a Southland team is this Saturday's game with the Ladyjacks.
- The Sugar Bears held the Lady Braves to just eight points in the opening quarter, marking a season low for Alcorn.
- Sanders and Freeman, Alcorn's two leading scorers, combined for just 17 points on the night. It marks their fewest combined total so far this season.
- With the win, Central Arkansas improves to 7-0 in the all-time series.
- UCA led for 32:48 and was ahead by as many as 25 (7:51 in the third quarter). Both are season highs by an opponent.
- The 10 points by Hargrove mark a career high.
- Freeman's six rebounds are a season high.
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