Wikipedia

2023–24 Central Arkansas Sugar Bears basketball team

The 2023–24 Central Arkansas Sugar Bears basketball team represented the University of Central Arkansas during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Sugar Bears, led by first-year head coach Tony Kemper, played their home games at the Farris Center located in Conway, Arkansas as members of the ASUN Conference.

2023–24 Central Arkansas Sugar Bears basketball
WNIT, First Round
ConferenceASUN Conference
Record21–12 (11–5 ASUN)
Head coach
  • Tony Kemper (1st season)
Assistant coaches
  • Kaitlynn Pacholke
  • Tanaeya BoClair
  • Hailey Estes
Home arenaFarris Center
Seasons
← 2022–23
2024–25 →
2023–24 ASUN women's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Florida Gulf Coast † 16 – 0   1.000 29 – 5   .853
Stetson 12 – 4   .750 17 – 15   .531
Central Arkansas 11 – 5   .688 21 – 12   .636
Lipscomb 10 – 6   .625 17 – 13   .567
Eastern Kentucky 9 – 7   .563 22 – 12   .647
North Alabama 8 – 8   .500 12 – 18   .400
Austin Peay 8 – 8   .500 17 – 16   .515
Kennesaw State 7 – 9   .438 11 – 19   .367
Jacksonville 6 – 10   .375 11 – 20   .355
Bellarmine* 5 – 11   .313 10 – 19   .345
North Florida 3 – 13   .188 9 – 21   .300
Queens* 1 – 15   .063 7 – 22   .241
*Ineligible for the 2024 NCAA tournament due to transition from Division II
† 2024 ASUN tournament winner

Previous season edit

The Sugar Bears finished the 2022–23 season 8–21, 3–15 in ASUN play to finish in a tie for 13th (last) place.[1] They failed to qualify for the ASUN tournament, as only the top 10 teams qualify.[2]

On February 25, 2023, head coach Sandra Rushing announced that she would be stepping down as head coach after 11 years at the helm.[3] On March 10, the school announced that Marshall head coach Tony Kemper would be named the team's new head coach.[4]

Roster edit

2023–24 Central Arkansas Sugar Bears women's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Year Previous school Hometown
G 0 Jade Upshaw 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) Jr Arkansas State Sapulpa, Oklahoma
G 1 Kinley Fisher 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) Jr Mercer Greenwood, Arkansas
G 2 Fatime Seck 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Fr Franklin High School El Paso, Texas
G 3 Randrea Wright 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) Jr George Washington Carver High School Birmingham, Alabama
G 4 Cheyanne Kemp 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Fr Morrilton High School Morrilton, Arkansas
F 5 Bree Stephens 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Jr Dodge City Community College Townsville, Australia
F 12 Destine Duckworth 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) So SIU Edwardsville North Little Rock, Arkansas
G 22 Leah Mafua 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Jr Dodge City Community College Wellington, New Zealand
G 23 Kaidyn Beckwith 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) Fr Conway High School Conway, Arkansas
G 24 Jenna Rose Mafua 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Jr Dodge City Community College Wellington, New Zealand
F 30 Kierra Prim 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Sr Johnson County Community College Overland Park, Kansas
F 32 Elizabeth Abiara 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Fr Lake Ridge High School Mansfield, Texas
F 42 Cheyenne Banks 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Jr Coffeyville Community College McLoud, Oklahoma
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: December 26, 2023

Schedule and results edit

Date
time, TV 		Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Non-conference regular season
November 6, 2023*
6:30 pm, ESPN+ 		Hendrix W 85–25  1–0
  14 – 2 Tied   8 – 2 Tied   3 – 2 Tied  Farris Center (348)
Conway, AR
November 11, 2023*
2:00 pm, ESPN+ 		at Samford L 62–65  1–1
  15 – L. Mafua   7 – Banks   2 – 3 Tied  Pete Hanna Center (306)
Homewood, AL
November 14, 2023*
6:30 pm, ESPN+ 		UT Martin W 56–45  2–1
  10 – Upshaw   14 – Banks   3 – Wright  Farris Center 
Conway, AR
November 18, 2023*
1:00 pm, ESPN+ 		Northwestern State Postponed[5] Farris Center 
Conway, AR
November 20, 2023*
7:00 pm, SECN+ 		at Arkansas L 67–81  2–2
  16 – Upshaw   9 – Banks   3 – Upshaw  Bud Walton Arena (4,194)
Fayetteville, AR
November 24, 2023*
2:00 pm, MidcoSN+ 		at Denver
Denver Classic 		W 90–84  3–2
  21 – Fisher   16 – Stephens   2 – 5 Tied  Hamilton Gymnasium (352)
Denver, CO
November 25, 2023*
12:00 pm, MidcoSN+ 		vs. Nevada
Denver Classic 		L 65–67 OT 3–3
  16 – Fisher   5 – Banks   2 – 3 Tied  Hamilton Gymnasium 
Denver, CO
November 29, 2023*
6:00 pm, ESPN+ 		at Lindenwood W 77–64  4–3
  19 – Fisher   7 – 2 Tied   5 – Wright  Hyland Performance Arena (423)
St. Charles, MO
December 2, 2023*
1:00 pm 		at Little Rock W 63–58  5–3
  16 – L. Mafua   8 – Stephens   3 – Stephens  Jack Stephens Center (657)
Little Rock, AR
December 5, 2023*
5:00 pm, ESPN+ 		at Tulsa L 58–60  5–4
  18 – Fisher   10 – Abiara   3 – L. Mafua  Reynolds Center (1,050)
Tulsa, OK
December 9, 2023*
1:00 pm, ESPN+ 		Central Baptist W 69–32  6–4
  12 – Upshaw   9 – 2 Tied   5 – Wright  Farris Center (380)
Conway, AR
December 16, 2023*
4:00 pm, ESPN+ 		at Kansas L 48–69  6–5
  17 – Wright   7 – Banks   4 – Wright  Allen Fieldhouse (2,861)
Lawrence, KS
December 20, 2023*
2:30 pm, ESPN+ 		Northwestern State
Rescheduled from November 18 		W 75–57  7–5
  18 – L. Mafua   6 – Stephens   2 – 3 Tied  Farris Center (389)
Conway, AR
December 29, 2023*
2:00 pm 		at Alabama A&M       Alabama A&M Events Center 
Huntsville, AL
ASUN regular season
January 6, 2024
5:00 pm, ESPN+ 		at North Alabama       CB&S Bank Arena 
Florence, AL
January 11, 2024
5:00 pm, ESPN+ 		Lipscomb       Farris Center 
Conway, AR
January 13, 2024
1:00 pm, ESPN+ 		Austin Peay       Farris Center 
Conway, AR
January 18, 2024
6:00 pm, ESPN+ 		at Eastern Kentucky       Baptist Health Arena 
Richmond, KY
January 20, 2024
12:00 pm, ESPN+ 		at Bellarmine       Freedom Hall 
Louisville, KY
January 24, 2024
6:30 pm, ESPN+ 		Queens       Farris Center 
Conway, AR
January 27, 2024
1:00 pm, ESPN+ 		at Kennesaw State       KSU Convocation Center 
Kennesaw, GA
February 1, 2024
5:00 pm, ESPN+ 		Jacksonville       Farris Center 
Conway, AR
February 3, 2024
1:00 pm, ESPN+ 		North Florida       Farris Center 
Conway, AR
February 8, 2024
6:00 pm, ESPN+ 		at Florida Gulf Coast       Alico Arena 
Fort Myers, FL
February 10, 2024
1:00 pm, ESPN+ 		at Stetson       Edmunds Center 
DeLand, FL
February 15, 2024
5:00 pm, ESPN+ 		Bellarmine       Farris Center 
Conway, AR
February 17, 2024
1:00 pm, ESPN+ 		Eastern Kentucky       Farris Center 
Conway, AR
February 22, 2024
6:00 pm, ESPN+ 		at Austin Peay       F&M Bank Arena 
Clarksville, TN
February 24, 2024
2:00 pm, ESPN+ 		at Lipscomb       Allen Arena 
Nashville, TN
March 2, 2024
1:00 pm, ESPN+ 		North Alabama       Farris Center 
Conway, AR
ASUN tournament
March 8–16, 2024
TBA 		TBA        
 
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central.

Sources:[6][7]

References edit

  1. ^ "2022-23 Women's Basketball Standings". Atlantic Sun Conference. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  2. ^ "FGCU Claims Regular Season Title as 2023 @ASUNWBB Championship Field Finalized". Atlantic Sun Conference. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  3. ^ "RUSHING STEPS DOWN FROM UCA PROGRAM". University of Central Arkansas Athletics. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  4. ^ "Marshall women's basketball coach Tony Kemper leaves for same position at Central Arkansas". West Virginia MetroNews. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  5. ^ "Women's basketball game at Central Arkansas postponed". Northwestern State University Athletics. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  6. ^ "2023-24 Women's Basketball Schedule". University of Central Arkansas Athletics. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  7. ^ "Central Arkansas Sugar Bears 2023-24 Regular Season NCAAW Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
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