CONWAY, Ark. – Despite a 14-point effort from Antwainette Walker, Eastern Kentucky dropped its first ASUN Conference road game of the season to Central Arkansas by a score of 71-57 inside Farris Center.
 
Walker scored 14 points and brought down nine rebounds in the effort. Saturday's point value marked her 14th game this season in double-figure scoring, nine of those games with 20-or-more points.
 
Alice Recanati followed suit with 11 points, six rebounds, and a team-leading four assists. Her four assists marked her 12th game this season leading EKU in assists, Recanati has led the Colonels 56 times during her three-year career in Richmond.
 
Eastern Kentucky and Central Arkansas traded baskets for the majority of the first quarter, UCA ended the frame on an 8-3 run, failing to find an answer for Parris Atkins, who pushed the Sugar Bears' lead to 25-17.
 
Atkins opened the second quarter with a layup to extend the UCA lead to double digits, Central Arkansas made three baskets on consecutive possessions for a 33-17 lead over EKU. Recanati and Danielle Rainey hit three pointers in consecutive Colonel possessions to lighten the deficit to 14 as the halftime buzzer rang.
 
Walker hit a 15-foot jumper to bring the Colonels within 10 points at 39-29. EKU would go on a run late in the third quarter to bring the team within six. A Walker layup ended the frame keeping the Colonels in single digits behind UCA.
 
Eastern Kentucky brought the deficit to five to open the fourth quarter, Atkins scored eight points midway through the frame to keep the game out of reach and the final score at 71-57.
 
Central Arkansas shot 52.7 percent from the floor, against EKU's 35.9 percent. The Sugar Bears also outrebounded the Colonels 40-28.
 
EKU returns to action on Wednesday, January 11 at 7:00 p.m ET. against Bellarmine at Baptist Health Arena. Tickets are available for purchase on the Colonels' website.

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