Sugar Bears’ defense leads UCA to 70–42 win over Stony Brook

ATLANTA — Central Arkansas opened its trip to the Georgia State Thanksgiving Tournament with another steady and controlled performance, beating Stony Brook 70–42 on Tuesday afternoon.

It was the third straight win for a team that continues to lean on defense, patience and a deep rotation to get through early non-conference play.

UCA started slowly as Stony Brook grabbed a 10–5 advantage, but the Sugar Bears answered with the kind of composed stretch they’ve shown throughout the past week.

Julianna Gibson and Jenna Cook scored on back-to-back trips to tie the game, and three straight scores put the Sugar Bears in front heading into the second quarter. That brief series flipped the energy and set the direction for the rest of the game.

Stony Brook trimmed the margin again early in the second quarter, but UCA answered with a 9–0 run and never loosened its hold after that point.

The Sugar Bears stayed connected on defense, kept Stony Brook away from clean looks, and then closed the half on an 18–4 push that stretched the lead to 17 at the break.

The Seawolves scored just two points in the final five minutes of the half as UCA’s communication and help defense took over.

The third quarter followed the same pattern. UCA shot well and kept the ball moving, hitting 47 percent of its attempts in the period. The Sugar Bears spread the floor, kept the Seawolves rotating and found shots in rhythm.

Stony Brook stayed active at the free-throw line to avoid an even bigger scoring gap, but the Sugar Bears controlled pace and spacing throughout the quarter.

With the margin already comfortable heading into the fourth, UCA went deeper into the bench and kept the pressure steady. Four three-pointers from the reserves — including two from Kamryn Griffin — helped close the afternoon.

The Sugar Bears limited Stony Brook to 18 percent shooting in the final quarter and never gave up a clean lane or early-clock look.

It was the kind of finish that showed how the defensive standard has risen through November.

Shae Littleford and Bree Stephens led UCA with 11 points each. The Sugar Bears didn’t need one scorer to carry the load, though; instead, the balance continued to define the group.

Cheyanne Kemp, Linda Amaning and Griffin each added eight points, while eight Sugar Bears finished with six or more. Nine players scored in all, a number that matched the way the rotation has been built during this early stretch.

UCA shot 47.5 percent from the field, including 44 percent from three-point range. The Sugar Bears were efficient in half-court sets, stayed patient when Stony Brook sagged into the lane and found extra passes that turned solid looks into better ones.

On the other end, the Seawolves shot just 28.6 percent from the floor and 17.6 percent from deep. UCA forced 16 turnovers, collected seven steals and won the rebounding margin 36–30.

The 42 points allowed were the fewest given up by the Sugar Bears this season and marked the second straight game where an opponent failed to reach 45.

The defensive numbers have improved sharply in the last three outings, matching what the staff has been emphasizing since the opener.

The Sugar Bears moved to 4–2 with the win and advanced to Wednesday’s matchup against Georgia State in the second and final game of the Thanksgiving Tournament.

Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. as UCA looks to close its trip with another strong defensive showing and continue settling into its rotation before conference play.

This stretch has given UCA exactly what it needed: momentum, clarity, contributions from multiple players and a defensive identity that has grown clearer each game.

Whether it’s the rotation, the communication or the consistency inside the paint, the Sugar Bears are starting to play the kind of steady basketball that wins during tournament weeks.

The schedule will toughen soon, but the Sugar Bears leave Tuesday with three wins in a row and an approach that has carried them through early-season challenges.

With depth across the lineup and defensive improvement each game, UCA has positioned itself well heading into the final game in Atlanta and the approaching December slate.

Key takeaways

• UCA held Stony Brook to just 42 points, the lowest allowed this season.

• Nine Sugar Bears scored, with eight players recording at least six points.

• Balanced shooting and strong defensive pressure carried UCA to its third straight victory.