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
2023–24 ASUN women's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
Florida Gulf Coast †16–0 1.00029–5  .853
Stetson12–4 .75017–15  .531
Central Arkansas11–5 .68821–12  .636
Lipscomb10–6 .62517–13  .567
Eastern Kentucky9–7 .56322–12  .647
North Alabama8–8 .50012–18  .400
Austin Peay8–8 .50017–16  .515
Kennesaw State7–9 .43811–19  .367
Jacksonville6–10 .37511–20  .355
Bellarmine*5–11 .31310–19  .345
North Florida3–13 .1889–21  .300
Queens*1–15 .0637–22  .241
*Ineligible for the 2024 NCAA tournament due to transition from Division II
† 2024 ASUN tournament winner

Previous season

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
2023–24 Central Arkansas Sugar Bears women's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
G 0 Jade Upshaw 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) JrArkansas State Sapulpa, Oklahoma
G 1 Kinley Fisher 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) JrMercer Greenwood, Arkansas
G 2 Fatime Seck 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) FrFranklin High School El Paso, Texas
G 3 Randrea Wright 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) JrGeorge Washington Carver High School Birmingham, Alabama
G 4 Cheyanne Kemp 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) FrMorrilton High School Morrilton, Arkansas
F 5 Bree Stephens 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) JrDodge City Community College Townsville, Australia
F 12 Destine Duckworth 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) SoSIU Edwardsville North Little Rock, Arkansas
G 22 Leah Mafua 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) JrDodge City Community College Wellington, New Zealand
G 23 Kaidyn Beckwith 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) FrConway High School Conway, Arkansas
G 24 Jenna Rose Mafua 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) JrDodge City Community College Wellington, New Zealand
F 30 Kierra Prim 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) SrJohnson County Community College Overland Park, Kansas
F 32 Elizabeth Abiara 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) FrLake Ridge High School Mansfield, Texas
F 42 Cheyenne Banks 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) JrCoffeyville 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
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
  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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