Sugar Bears
Sugar Bears face familiar foe going for first ASU Title
Despite scoring most points ever against Eagles in regular season, UCA still lost and chance at redemption includes trophy
CONWAY, Ark. — It’s Championship time for Central Arkansas heading to Fort Myers, Fla., for a second-straight appearance in the ASUN Championship Final.
Taking on the powerhouse of the league, the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles, the Sugar Bears look for their first ASUN Title at 1 p.m.
The Sugar Bears (23-8, 15-3 ASUN) take the court after downing Lipscomb 70-65 in the semifinal round.
Jade Upshaw poured in 25 points, her second time reaching the 25-point mark against the Bisons, as a big first quarter for the home team carried the day. UCA moved to 4-0 in home ASUN tournament games, earning a second ASUN Championship appearance in as many years.
UCA plays FGCU for the fourth time in two seasons, struggling to get a result against the ASUN regular season champions.
This last time, at home during the regular season, the Sugar Bears tallied their most points against the Eagles in the series, scoring 71 points. Leah Mafua led the team with 17 points, Randrea Wright added 13, and Kinley Fisher contributed 12.
It marked the first time that UCA has had three double-digit scorers against the Eagles.
FGCU (29-3, 18-0 ASUN) punched its ticket to the Final after defeating EKU 63-47.
The Eagles trailed 20-7 after the first inning, but regrouped to tie the game by half, and took over from there.
Emani Jefferson, the ASUN Player of the Year, scored 22 points in the win, and Lauryn Taylor added 15 points and 13 rebounds.
The Eagles have been in the ASUN Championship Final every season since they’ve been Division I eligible.
FGCU has claimed every championship, except for two, losing in the Finals in 2013 and 2016. UCA has two conference titles in program history, winning Southland Championships in 2016 and 2017. The Sugar Bears are making their fifth appearance in a conference championship game.
Tip-off for an ASUN title and a spot in the Big Dance is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available online. Fans can also follow the action on The Bear 91.3, with Steve Owens on the call.
