CONWAY -- Jade Upshaw couldn't escape the nerves.
The University of Central Arkansas guard said Saturday's were stronger than any game in recent memory.
But 17 seconds into the game, when her first shot fell, it was back to business.
UCA defeated North Alabama 69-52 in the quarterfinals of the ASUN Tournament on Saturday night at the Farris Center thanks to a game-high 17 points from Upshaw, including nine points in the first quarter.
"Tonight was probably the most nervous I've been in a very long time to play a game because I was so excited," Upshaw said. "I really feel like I get a lot of confidence from my teammates, from my coach. We just have a lot of chemistry, and we're just able to feed off each other."
The junior Arkansas State transfer scored seven of the first 11 points for UCA (20-10). She scored two points in the second quarter and six more in the third to lead the Sugar Bears offensively.
The Sugar Bears outscored the Lions (12-18) by four points or more in the first three quarters and extended their lead to 25 points in the fourth quarter before one final push from North Alabama.
After allowing 19 points on 53.8% shooting, including four three-pointers, in the first quarter, UCA made small adjustments to its perimeter defense and clamped down the rest of the way. North Alabama shot 28% from the field in the second and third quarters and hit just one shot from behind the arc as UCA took a 53-38 lead.
"We really played defense very well against a team that has a lot of different people that can score the ball," UCA Coach Tony Kemper said. "So [that was] really a pretty complete performance. I just thought we were steady. We played very consistently throughout, and then pretty soon you looked up there and we had a lead enough to withstand when they finally stuck some shots."
To start the fourth quarter, UCA went on a 13-3 run to take that 25-point lead. During that run, Kemper used the size of 6-4 center Cheyenne Banks to lean on a tiring North Alabama defense. She scored eight of those 13 points.
"I thought Cheyenne Banks was great, best game in a long time," Kemper said.
After Upshaw's 17 points, Banks finished with 12, followed by Kinley Fisher with 10 and Randrea Wright with nine. UCA outscored North Alabama 44-22 on points in the lane.
It was the Sugar Bears' first postseason win since the 2020-21 season and their first postseason win since joining the ASUN the following season.
For Upshaw, she said it was a reminder of the meal she had with Kemper not long after that and the decision to transfer to UCA.
"It's kind of an unbelievable feeling just to be here right now," she said. "This I've kind of like prayed and I've worked for. And so, going back to last March, I was in a place where I didn't know where I was going to be, and I wanted to find a coach that trusted and believed in me and my ability, and thankfully, I found it and now I'm living that dream."