Proffitt, UCA surge in fourth quarter to win 14th in row

Trailing 30-25 at halftime, the University of Central Arkansas women’s team found a different gear in the second half to win its 14th game in a row.

Maggie Proffitt scored seven consecutive points in a 12-0 UCA surge midway through the fourth quarter as the Sugar Bears (23-4, 15-2 Southland) knocked off Stephen F. Austin (21-6, 12-4) 70-58 on Saturday at the Farris Center in Conway.

Taylor Ross made a layup with 5:26 remaining to give the Lumberjacks their final lead at 53-52. Brianna Mullins scored on a layup with 4:16 left to regain the lead for UCA, then Proffitt took over.

The senior guard scored on three consecutive possessions, first on a jumper with 3:26 left. Twenty-four seconds later, she scored on a layup, then hit a three-pointer with 2:02 remaining for a 61-53 advantage for the Sugar Bears. Mullins broke Proffitt’s string with a free throw, but Proffitt made two free throws with 50 seconds left to end the 12-0 run and build a 64-53 lead.

Proffitt finished with a game-high 24 points on 7-of20 shooting, including 4 of 10 from three-point range.

Kierra Jordan finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for UCA. Taylor Baudoin chipped in 13 points. Ross scored 19 points for Stephen F. Austin, and Parker had 11.

The Sugar Bears made 24 of 58 shots for 41.4 percent and held Stephen F. Austin to 17of-46 shooting for 37 percent. The Sugar Bears outrebounded the Lumberjacks 42-26.

SWAC WOMEN GRAMBLING ST. 68, UAPB 58

The UAPB Golden Lions women’s team fell behind by 13 points early in the second quarter and never could climb the mountain Saturday against Grambling State at the H.O. Clemmons Arena in Pine Bluff.

The Tigers (14-12, 12-3 SWAC) led 22-13 at the end of the first quarter and scored the first four points of the second quarter for a 26-13 edge with 9:18 remaining in the first half.

Destiny Brewton made a jumper for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (12-15, 9-7) with 2:06 left in the half to cut the deficit to 32-26.

Down 52-41, UAPB scored the next eight points. Faith Ohanta’s jumper with 6:17 left pulled the Golden Lions within 52-49. After Grambling State pushed the lead back to 59-51 with 3:49 left, UAPB scored seven in a row. Ohanta’s three-pointer with 2:20 remaining made it 59-58, but the Golden Lions did not score again.

Ohanta finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds for UAPB. Niya Head scored 14 points, and Brewton chipped in 12. Jazmin Boyd led all scorers with 24 points for the Tigers.

SOUTHLAND MEN STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 90, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 85, OT

Stephen F. Austin (16-12, 11-5) scored the final five points in overtime to come away with the victory over the University of Central Arkansas (8-22, 7-10) at the Farris Center in Conway.

UCA had a chance to win the game in regulation, but Mathieu Kamba missed the free throw on a three-point play opportunity with one second remaining to send the game into overtime at 74-74.

Kamba led all players with 18 points. Thatch Unruh came off the bench to score 17 for the Bears, while teammates Jordan Howard (16) and Derreck Brooks (15) combined to score 31.

Ivan Canete led the Lumberjacks with 16 points.

The loss was the fourth in a row for the Bears.

SWAC MEN GRAMBLING STATE 78, ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 58

Grambling State (13-15, 8-7 Southwestern Athletic) led wire-to-wire in its victory over the UAPB Golden Lions at H.O. Clemmons Arena in Pine Bluff.

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (7-23, 6-10) trailed 37-29 at halftime and could only whittle the deficit to seven, 4437, with 15:54 left in the game.

Grambling’s Avery Ugba led all scorers with 24 points. Ervin Mitchell added 17, while Remond Brown added 12 and Nigel Ribeiro scored 10 more for the Tigers.

Joe-Randle Toliver came off the bench to lead UAPB with 12 points. Jaquan Lynch added 11 for the Golden Lions.