Sugar Bears Make History, 2016 Women’s NCAA Tournament

KATY, Texas — The Sugar Bears found a way.

Despite being picked 7th in the Southland preseason polls, they found a way.

Despite a five-year losing streak at the Southland Conference Tournament, they found a way.

Despite the target on their backs coming in as the top seed, they found a way.

As they have done a school record 28 times this season, the Sugar Bears found a way to win once again on Sunday – and in doing so found their way to the 2016 Women’s NCAA Tournament. Top-seeded Central Arkansas defeated 7th-seeded Sam Houston State 69-62 for the program’s first Southland Conference Tournament championship and trip to the NCAA Tournament.

“I’m so proud and happy for this team,” said Central Arkansas head coach Sandra Rushing, who had 8 NCAA appearances in 10 seasons at Delta State in Division II, but is taking a team to the Division I tournament for the first time. “They have worked extremely hard all year long, refused to lose, and found a way to win.”

After the upset-minded Bearkats (13-19) had knocked off No. 6 Nicholls, No. 3 Stephen F. Austin and No. 2 Northwestern State on their way to the championship game, they looked poised to once again dispose of the higher-seeded team on Sunday as they came back from as many as 10 down to hold a one-point lead in the final minute of the third quarter.

But the Sugar Bears (28-3) had other plans.

After retaking the lead in the final seconds of the third quarter, the Sugar Bears maintained a slight advantage over the Bearkats throughout the fourth quarter, then pulled away in the final two minutes to secure the title.

After SHSU’s Shernise Robertson had made it a one-point game with 3:01 to go, Central Arkansas senior Jameka Watkins scored to put the Sugar Bears ahead three with 2:22 and followed with a free throw on the next possession to make it 63-59.

The Sugar Bears would proceed to keep the Kats to just one field goal over the final three minutes, and got six free throws from first team all-conference guard Maggie Proffitt in the final 30 seconds to keep the lead intact.

“This is huge for our program,” Rushing said. “I’m so happy for these seniors – they get the opportunity to experience something. They’ve laid the foundation, and it’s exciting to see them celebrate out there. It’s exciting, it’s something that’s been a goal. It’s something we talk about – you’ve got to dream big, then go out and work for it. And these players have worked for it. For me personally, I’m ecstatic. It’s fun, it’s exciting – it’s why you play the game, for championships.”

It’s the program’s first tournament championship and trip to an NCAA Tournament since 2005, when that year’s Sugar Bear team won the Gulf South Conference Tournament and advanced to the national semifinals of the Division II tournament en route to a 28-7 season.

“It’s surreal,” said Watkins, the lone four-year senior on this year’s team who last cut the nets as a two-time state champion at England (Ark.) High School. “We’ve been working for it all year. It’s been a dream since we started in June. Now to actually do it is just … wow. For the four years I’ve been here, Coach Rushing has always told us she wants to build a program on championships, and getting it this year is a great feeling. I don’t even know how to explain it.”

“It feels great,” said senior Kendara Watts, whose score at the end of the third put the Sugar Bears ahead for good. “I feel like we leave a legacy behind, and that’s the main thing. That’s why I wanted to come to UCA in the first place. I saw here with the coaching staff and teammates, that we’d have the potential to be great, and I wanted to be a part of it.”

Brianna Mullins had 17 points to lead the Sugar Bears, and was the lone Central Arkansas player named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 16.5 points during the two games. She joins Desiree’ Rogers in 2011 as the only Sugar Bears to be named to the Southland All-Tournament team.

Proffitt had 11 points while tying for the team lead with 7 rebounds – including 4 in the fourth quarter to go with her 6 points in the final period. Watts added 10 points, and Sandy Jackson had a team-high 4 assists while tying Proffitt and Raquel Logan with 7 boards. Taylor Baudoin had 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks in 16 minutes.

SHSU’s Angela Beadle was named Tournament MVP after getting 25 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks in the championship game loss.

The Sugar Bears will find out their destination and opponent for the 2016 Women’s NCAA Tournament on Monday, with the selection show beginning on ESPN at 6:00pm Central. There will be a watch party in the Farris Center beginning at 5:45.