FLORENCE, Ala. (March 1, 2025) – The University of North Alabama women's basketball team capped the regular season Saturday night with perhaps its most important win of the season, a 66-56 triumph over the Central Arkansas Sugar Bears in Florence.
A win or a loss made a large different on Saturday, as the Lions would either secure the No. 6 seed and play No. 3 Lipscomb in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship Quarterfinal or drop to the No. 10 seed and play in the first round for a chance to play No. 1 FGCU. UNA accomplished the former with a win.
In a Senior Night special from CB&S Bank Arena, North Alabama concluded the final regular-season contest with an emphatic win over the Sugar Bears. The seniors were honored prior to the contest, who then proceeded to lead by example en route to defeating Central Arkansas for the first time in two years.
The Sugar Bears set the tone early with a lead after the first quarter, but a strong second quarter from the Lions sent the contest into halftime with UNA trailing by two. Only one point separated the two teams in the third quarter, but the final period saw North Alabama come alive offensively and defensively.
Senior Charity Gallegos ignited the UNA offense with a game-high 30 points on an efficient 10-17 shooting night. The total marked the second-highest scoring output from Gallegos this season, finishing two points shy from her career high 32 points against Bellarmine on Jan. 2. She rounded out the night with a game-high five assists, three rebounds and one steal.
Graduate Sara Wohlgemuth was a key piece to North Alabama's victory over Central Arkansas, registering 11 points to finish third on the team in scoring. Wohlgemuth also tied Gallegos with five assists to go with two rebounds.
Junior India Howard was second in scoring with 16 points, setting a new season high for the Coppell, Texas native. She also grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season. Howard had additional totals of three blocks to lead the game, as well as one assist and one steal.
Junior Jazzy Klinge rounded out UNA's leaders with an all-around performance, securing 10 rebounds, four points, three assists, three steals and two blocks.
North Alabama ends the regular season at 13-16 overall while 8-10 in ASUN play. Central Arkansas heads into the postseason with a 21-8 record and 15-3 ASUN record.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER: UCA 18, UNA 9
Central Arkansas got out to an early lead using efficient shooting all coming from the paint. North Alabama held the Sugar Bears to 0-4 from the three-point range, but converted 9-16 from inside the arc towards a nine-point lead. Gallegos (seven points) and Howard (two) led the offensive efforts in the opening period.
SECOND QUARTER: UCA 33, UNA 31
North Alabama's offense picked up prior to halftime, outscoring Central Arkansas, 22-15, and trimming the UCA lead to just two going into the break. The Lions started strong with a 10-2 run to open the period, as scores from Wohlgemuth, Howard and Gallegos cut the Sugar Bear lead to just 20-19. UNA secured its first lead of the game off an and-one from Howard, but the two teams continued to battle as the quarter went on. The back-and-forth period saw Central Arkansas take a 33-31 lead at halftime.
THIRD QUARTER: UCA 49, UNA 48
The Lions led 17-16 in third-quarter scoring, setting up a decisive fourth period with Central Arkansas leading by one. Both teams had solid shooting in the period, with both teams also having four-point leads in the period. A Sugar Bears' three gave the visitors its largest lead of the quarter, but a 9-2 UNA run gave the Lions the lead back at the 4:12 mark. North Alabama led, 48-45, at the 1:27 mark, but four-straight points gave the Sugar Bears a one-point advantage heading to the fourth.
FOURTH QUARTER: UNA 66, UCA 56
Defense and a fourth-quarter outburst from Gallegos made the difference in North Alabama overtaking the Sugar Bears in the final period. The Lions locked down defensively, holding Central Arkansas to seven points on 23.1 percent shooting (3-13). Gallegos scored 12 of her 30 points in the period, outscoring the entire UCA offense single-handedly. Her three-point jumper at the 6:49 mark gave UNA the lead, with the Lions never trailing for the rest of the period. Central Arkansas would cut the North Alabama lead to one at the 3:07 mark, but the Lions saw the matchup out with a quarter-ending 10-1 run.
UP NEXT
With the seedings set for the 2025 ASUN Tournament, the No. 6 Lions travel to Nashville to face No. 3 Lipscomb on Saturday, March 8 at 2 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
