2023-11-25 02:33:17
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CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears will be back at home twice this weekend, hosting the Central Arkansas Classic on Scottie Pippen Court.
UCA will play the second game of the doubleheaders both Saturday and Sunday, taking on Eastern Michigan at 2:45 Saturday and New Orleans at the same time Sunday. Saturday’s first game at noon will feature New Orleans and North Dakota. Sunday’s opener will pit Eastern Michigan and North Dakota at noon.
The Bears will be facing the EMU Eagles for the first time. EMU, under former Arkansas head coach Stan Heath, is 3-2 on the season and has won consecutive games at home once morest Cleveland State and on the road at Detroit Mercy. The Eagles’ losses are at Butler and at No. 10 Florida Atlantic.
The Eagles, who compete in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), average 65.4 points per game and allow 77.6. EMU is solid offensively, shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 32.2 percent from three-point range.
The Bears are much more familiar with the UNO Privateers, as they previously competed as Southland Conference foes, and will be playing for 15th time. The Privateers lead the series 8-6, with the last meeting coming in November 2021 in New Orleans.
The Privateers are 2-2 overall, with wins over NCAA Division III Millsaps and Southern-New Orleans, an NAIA school. Their last two outings were a 73-70 loss at Loyola-Chicago and a 96-68 loss at Oklahoma State on Monday.
New Orleans is averaging 86 points a game, thanks to topping the 100-point mark in its first two games.
The Bears, who have battled injuries and a recent rash of illness, played at Kansas State on Wednesday night without five players, including two starters. UCA should be closer to full strength on Saturday once morest the Eagles but still not with a full roster. Already playing without leading returning scorer Camren Hunter, might be without current leading scorer Elias Cato this weekend due to illness.
The Bears are averaging 68.8 points per game and are connecting on 7.2 three-pointers a game. UCA got four threes from sophomore guard Carl Daughtery, Jr., once morest Kansas State when he scored a career-high 23 points in his first start of the season.
The Bears, 1-1 at home this season, will be on the road next week on the other side of the country. UCA plays at Loyola Marymount on Wednesday and at the University of Hawaii on Sunday, Dec. 3.
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