NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State could not overcome tough defense and multiple scoring droughts in a 51-44 loss to Central Arkansas on Saturday afternoon.
The Lady Demons (5-15, 2-9 SLC) gained momentum at the end of the first half, cutting the lead down to three, but a four-minute scoring drought in the final period allowed Central Arkansas (9-11, 5-6 SLC) to steal the win.
It wasn't the hot start the Lady Demons saw in Wednesday's game, going 0-for-5 from the field to start the game. UCA gained a six-point lead through the first 4:30 of the quarter while NSU settled into the game.
"We started the game a little flat," interim head coach Aaron Swinson said. "We picked it up in the second quarter but like I told them we can't have a bad or slow start and try to win a basketball game against a tough team."
Leilani Moncrease got the Lady Demons on the board with a baseline layup just before the midway point of the quarter. She scored the first six points of the game for the Lady Demons pulling the home team within three points with 3:40 left in the opening period.
The Lady Demons finished the first 4-of-8 from the field and trailed 14-9 heading into a better second quarter.
The first five minutes were controlled by the Sugar Bears, building a 10-point lead at 25-15 with 5:47 left in the half. The NSU defense clamped down the rest of the way and found a rhythm on the offensive side.
An offensive rebound from
Lacee Savage and buzzer-beating 3-pointer from
Kalen Green capped off a 9-2 run that finished the quarter and made it a 27-24 UCA game with the Lady Demons carrying the momentum into the second half.
Savage scored the first three points of the third quarter knotting the game at 27 before a 3-ball from UCA put them right back on top. The Lady Demons took their first lead of the game two minutes later after jumpers from
Victoria Miller and
Kira Bonner making it a 31-30 affair by the media timeout.
A quick 4-0 finish to the third for the Sugar Bears gave them the lead for good and a 38-34 advantage heading to the final 10 minutes. The Lady Demons only trailed by a pair of baskets thanks in large part to the improved play around the rim on both ends of the floor, led by Miller's double-double effort.
"We've talked about it before that we've got to have some contribution from our post play," Swinson said. "Vic definitely stepped up and we added a couple of plays for our post players, but they still have to finish plays around the basket. You have to do that in order to win a game in this conference."
The Southland's third-best defense showed itself in the fourth quarter as UCA held the Lady Demons scoreless for just over four minutes of the critical final frame. The 9-0 run during that time extended the lead to double figures as the Lady Demons went 0-for-6 from the field.
Missed free throws by the Sugar Bears left the door cracked for the Lady Demons but the drought and the clock were not in their favor. UCA reached its 11-point advantage, the largest of the game, with just over two minutes remaining in the contest.
Miller recorded the first double-double of the season for NSU and the first since her 10-point and 14-rebound game against Houston Baptist a season ago. It was also the first time this year NSU had double-digit rebounders in consecutive games.
NSU plays seven of the next nine games on the road to finish the year. A long three-game road swing begins on Wednesday night with a trip to Abilene Christian.
"The mentality that we have to have during this road stretch is that we're already down 10 or 15 to start the game," Swinson said. "We've got to have our minds right and take one possession at a time, one defensive stop at a time and let's capitalize on any mistakes that they make."
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