CONWAY, Ark. (Interstat) — A dominant second-quarter defensive performance and a relentless ability to capitalize on mistakes propelled the Central Arkansas women’s basketball team to a 60-47 victory over Lipscomb in an ASUN Conference game Saturday at the Farris Center.

The Bears, improving to 13-10 overall, turned a narrow first-quarter deficit into a commanding lead by holding the visiting Bisons to a mere two points in the second period. Lipscomb, which led 16-10 after the opening quarter, went scoreless for the first 8:52 of the second frame as Central Arkansas unleashed a 20-0 run to seize control.

Central Arkansas’s defense was the catalyst, generating 24 steals and forcing 35 Lipscomb turnovers. The Bears converted those miscues into 36 points off turnovers, a decisive margin in a game where offensive efficiency was otherwise hard to find. Lipscomb managed just 47 points on 77 possessions, an offensive rating of 61.2, while Central Arkansas posted a rating of 75.0 with 60 points on 80 trips.

The most important part of the game was undoubtedly the second-quarter surge. After Lipscomb’s Taylor Bowen, who finished with a game-high 19 points, hit a pair of early three-pointers to help build the early lead, the Bears locked down. Cheyanne Kemp, the top star for Central Arkansas with 17 points and six rebounds, ignited the run with a steal and a layup. Shae Littleford, who had 14 points, five assists and a game-high six steals, then connected from beyond the arc. The Bears’ pressure was unrelenting, with Bree Stephens adding 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists as Lipscomb’s offense completely stalled, committing 12 turnovers in the quarter alone.

Despite the disastrous second period, Lipscomb showed resilience after halftime. The Bisons, now 8-15, opened the third quarter with a 7-2 spurt, capped by a Hope Counts three-pointer, to pull within 32-25. Counts finished with 12 points and four blocks. Central Arkansas responded each time Lipscomb threatened to close the gap significantly. When the Bisons cut the lead to 45-38 with just over five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter after a Bowen three-pointer, Kemp answered immediately with a driving layup on the ensuing possession to halt the momentum.

Central Arkansas dominated the interior, outscoring Lipscomb 38-12 in the paint and securing 12 offensive rebounds to Lipscomb’s two. The Bears’ ball movement was also superior, tallying 24 assists on 26 made field goals. Lipscomb shot a respectable 9-for-19 from three-point range but was hampered by its inability to handle the Bears’ defensive pressure or establish any consistent inside presence.

Bowen’s 19 points led Lipscomb, with Counts providing the only other double-figure scoring. McKayla Miller added five points, seven rebounds and two assists for the Bisons. For Central Arkansas, the balanced attack behind Kemp, Littleford and Stephens proved too much, supported by Laylah Reese’s active defense.

The win was Central Arkansas’s second in a row following a victory at Queens on Wednesday. Lipscomb has now lost two consecutive games after falling to Eastern Kentucky earlier in the week.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Central Arkansas entered the game with a 78.70 percent probability to win, a projection borne out by their defensive execution in the pivotal second quarter.

Central Arkansas returns to action Monday at home against North Alabama. Lipscomb travels to face Bellarmine on Thursday.