HOUSTON – Central Arkansas' Maggie Proffitt and Kierra Jordan combined for 48 points to lead the Sugar Bears to an 80-49 victory over HBU in Southland Conference women's basketball Wednesday afternoon at Sharp Gym.
Senior guard
Heidi Byrd led the Huskies (3-12, 1-4 SLC) with 12 points, while sophomore guard
Lisa Zderadicka and sophomore center
Veronika Kirienko each had nine. Zderadicka also added four steals and three assists, Kirienko blocked three shots and freshman forward
Lauren Calver led HBU with five rebounds.
Proffitt went 9-for-17 from the field, including 5-for-9 from 3-point range, to lead UCA (10-4, 2-2) with 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Jordan made 8-for-11 from the floor to score 22 points and also grabbing seven boards. Olivia McWilliams chipped in with 11, Taylor Baudoin tied for the team lead with seven rebounds and Brianna Mullins handed out five assists.
UCA shot 52.6 percent from the field, 38.5 percent (5-for-13) from long distance, and 15-for-21 from the free-throw line. HBU shot 34.0 percent from the field, 44.4 percent (4-for-9) from behind the arc, but only made 13-of-26 from the stripe. The Sugar Bears held a huge advantage on the glass, outrebounding the Huskies, 44-21, outscoring HBU, 20-6, on second chances.
After the Sugar Bears scored the first seven points of the game, the Huskies answered with the next eight, taking the lead on a Zderadicka three with 3:42 remaining in the first. UCA seized control of the game with a 16-0 run for a 23-8 lead with 8:45 to go in the first half. The Sugar Bears held the Huskies to one field goal in the second period and took a 43-18 lead into halftime.
HBU opened the second half with a quick three by Byrd and sophomore center
Kennedy Collins banked in a three at the third period buzzer as the Huskies outscored the Sugar Bears by five to trim the deficit to 19. Proffitt scored seven points in the fourth to help UCA extend its final margin of victory.
The Huskies return to action when they host Incarnate Word Saturday at 1 p.m. at Sharp Gym.
