Bears on the Road for Two Straight SLC Games

Courtesy UCA Athletics Department

CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears, looking for the first Southland Conference victory of the season, will have two shots on the road this week. 

The Bears (5-9, 0-4) will take on Sam Houston State at 8 p.m. Thursday in Huntsville, Texas, in a game broadcast live on Comcast Sportsnet Houston. UCA then heads south to face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 2:30 Saturday before returning home for four consecutive games. 

The Bears, who lost to the Nos. 1-2 teams in the league last week at home (Stephen F. Austin, Northwestern State) now must face the No. 3 team in SHSU (10-6, 3-1). The Bearkats, so far, have beaten three teams from the bottom of the standings (Lamar, McNeese State, A&M-CC) that have a combined league record of 2-12 and an overall mark of 11-35.

The Bearkats’ lone SLC loss was by nine points at home to Northwestern State. Sam Houston has no players averaging double figures but has 10 that score at least 5.3 points per game. The Bearkats are the worst shooting team in the league from the field at 38.3 percent, but one of the top defensive teams, holding opponents to 40.1 percent shooting.

“We think we match up well with Sam Houston,’ said UCA head coach Corliss Williamson, who will be facing the Bearkats for the third time. “I think we have an opportunity to rally around each other on the road. If we come out with a split this week, it would be great. But to win both, and I think we have a chance, would be excellent.’ 

Image by Steve East/UCA Media Relations

Image by Steve East/UCA Media Relations

The Bears have never beaten the Bearkats (0-8 career) and are 0 for 6 since joining the Southland Conference. SHSU won 76-59 last year in Huntsville, hitting 24 of 36 free throws, compared to 8 of 14 for UCA.

UCA, the No. 2 three-point shooting team in the SLC, has made just 8 of 25 from beyond the arc (32 percent) in its past two games. Senior guard Robert Crawford continues to lead the league in three-pointers made per game (3.2). Junior guard LaQuentin Miles returned last Thursday from a five-game absence due to a broken hand and scored 21 points in both games last week.

“Q makes a big difference to our team when he’s out there,’ Williamson said of his All-SLC guard. “He does a lot of things for our team besides just his points.’

Miles had a career-high eight assists against Northwestern State on Saturday and had 5 rebounds and 4 assists against SFA on Thursday.

Crawford is third in the league in scoring at 15.8 points per game, while senior forward Jarvis Garner is fifth in scoring (15.3) and eighth in rebounding (6.9).

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