Sugar Bears Fall 76-53 to League-Leading Lamar

Courtesy University of Central Arkansas Athletics Department

BEAUMONT, Texas — Central Arkansas saw its four-game winning streak over Lamar come to an end on Thursday as the Lady Cardinals outscored the Sugar Bears 44-30 in the second half en route to a 76-53 victory at the Montagne Center. 

The Sugar Bears (14-13, 7-9 Southland) trailed by nine at halftime after going the final 18:48 without leading scorer and rebounder Megan Herbert, who was tagged with two early fouls, but the Lady Cardinals (19-7, 11-4) scored nine of the first 11 points of the second half to pull away and cruised to their first win over the Sugar Bears in five meetings.

The Lady Cardinals, who won for the seventh time in eight games and moved into a tie for first place in the Southland standings with the win and an Oral Roberts loss, shot 50 percent both from the field and from 3-point range in the second half as they built a lead as large as 31. The Sugar Bears shot 31 percent for the game, including just 29 percent in the second half, and went 0-for-11 from 3-point range. 

Desiree’ Rogers scored 13 points for Central Arkansas to give her 1,000 for her career – making her the 22nd player in school history to reach that milestone. Herbert, despite logging just 22 minutes, finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds for her 81st career double-double. She surpassed 1,400 career rebounds and became just the 10th player in Division I history to tally more than 2,200 points and 1,400 rebounds in a career.

Lamar had three players finish in double figures, with Dominique Edwards posting game-highs of 20 points and 12 rebounds. Gia Ayers added 15 points and Kalis Loyd 14 for the Lady Cards.

The Sugar Bears finish their final regular-season road trip on Saturday when they travel to McNeese State – which finished a season sweep of Oral Roberts on Thursday to move to 10-5 in Southland play. The Sugar Bears then conclude the regular season on March 9 against ORU in the Farris Center.