UCA Men’s Basketball to Host SIU-Edwardsville on Feb. 23

Courtesy University of Central Arkansas Athletics Department

CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears will host SIU-Edwardsville on Feb. 23 in men’s basketball action in a non-conference matchup as part of the Southland Conference’s participation in the Ramada Worldwide BracketBusters event. 

The Bears (9-11, 4-6) will host the Cougars, members of the Ohio Valley Conference, at 4:30 on Saturday, Feb. 23 at the Farris Center. SIU-E is 7-11 overall and 4-5 in the Ohio Valley, in second place in the West Division. 

The Bears and Cougars have only met one time in history, with UCA winning 101-94 in 1993 in the Missouri Western Classic at St. Joseph, Mo. 

UCA will have five more Southland Conference games before its date with SIU-E.

The Bears played at Louisiana Tech in the BracketBusters last year, the first year for the SLC to participate, losing 84-62 in Ruston, La. UCA receives a home game with Louisiana Tech next season. 

BracketBusters, named because of the success of the teams in the NCAA tournament, will provide the 26 televised teams an opportunity to play other top non-conference opponents three weeks before Selection Sunday. The other 96 teams that were part of the 122-team BracketBusters pool but not selected to appear on television will compete against each other the same two days, Feb. 22-23.

Southland Conference BracketBusters Games:

SFA at Long Beach State (ESPNU Feb. 22, 8:00

Northwestern State at Niagara (ESPN3) Feb. 23, 2:00

Other Non-Conference Games as Result of Conference’s BracketBusters Participation

All Games to be played Saturday, Feb. 23:

SIU-Edwardsville at Central Arkansas 4:30

Cal State Fullerton at A&M-Corpus Christi 1:00

Weber State at Oral Roberts ` 7:30

Texas State at Lamar TBA

McNeese State at Toledo TBA

Nicholls State at Texas-San Antonio TBA

Sam Houston State at Eastern Washington TBA

Southeastern Louisiana at Winthrop TBA

All times Central