SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Interstat) — Missouri State edged Central Arkansas 65-61 in a nonconference women’s basketball game Monday afternoon at JQH Arena. The teams were tied at 20 after the first quarter, but the Lady Bears used a 15-8 second-quarter advantage to build a lead they would not relinquish. The visiting Bears closed the gap with a 22-point fourth quarter but could not complete the comeback. Attendance was 1,569. With the win, Missouri State improved to 8-5. Central Arkansas fell to 7-5.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Interstat) — Two teams looking to rebound from recent losses will meet Monday when the Central Arkansas Bears visit the Missouri State Lady Bears in a nonconference women’s basketball matchup at JQH Arena. Both teams enter with identical 7-5 records. Central Arkansas seeks to end a two-game skid after falling 70-55 at Louisiana Tech on Wednesday. Missouri State aims to halt a three-game losing streak, most recently a 68-49 home defeat to Gonzaga on Friday. The Bears from Conway, Arkansas, will lean on guard Bree Stephens, who is averaging 12.0 points, 3.3 assists and 2.0 blocks over her last three contests. She scored 18 points in the loss to Louisiana Tech. Central Arkansas has shown offensive firepower, scoring 82 points in a win at Grambling on Dec. 13, but has been held under 60 points in its last two outings. Missouri State, struggling offensively during its slump, will counter with guard Kaemyn Bekemeier. She has been a consistent scorer, averaging 17.2 points over her last five games, including a 22-point performance in a win at Tulane on Dec. 4. The Lady Bears’ recent losses have come against a tough schedule featuring Gonzaga, Arkansas and Kansas. Central Arkansas holds a 3-4 record on the road this season, while Missouri State is 4-3 at home. This marks the final nonconference tune-up for both programs before each embarks on its respective conference schedule in early January. The game tips off at 7 p.m. Central on Monday, Dec. 22.