CONWAY -- The lone guarantee Monday night was that one team would be leaving the Farris Center with its first victory of the season.
How that team got there didn't matter much.
Arkansas State shot 51 percent from the field in the second half and forced 21 turnovers to beat Central Arkansas 67-49, winning for the first time this season in a game between two teams still working out kinks in largely new rosters.
Leading 29-28 at the half, the Red Wolves opened the second half with a 9-2 spurt. ASU held UCA to 1-of-9 shooting from the floor through the first nine minutes of the second half while taking a 46-34 lead.
Anthony Livingston led ASU (1-2) with 20 points, while Cameron Golden made 4 of 10 three-pointers and finished with 14 points. Nouhoum Boucoum added 10 points and nine rebounds.
Mike Martin made 3 of 4 three-pointers and led UCA (0-7) with 13 points. Jordan Howard, who entered the game averaging 17.0 points per game, finished with 10.
The Bears' only threat in the second half came after ASU Coach John Brady was hit with a technical foul with his team leading 50-36 with 9:15 remaining. UCA's Mike Martin made both free throws, then hit a three-pointer. After Boucoum made a basket inside for ASU, a steal and layup by Martin got UCA within 52-43.
But Golden's three-pointer and Boucoum's basket inside made it 57-44 with 5:44 left. ASU then held UCA to six points over the final seven minutes.
ASU jumped to a 13-5 lead when Livingston and Kelvin Downs made consecutive baskets inside. But UCA moved to a zone defense that caused ASU problems and allowed it to chip back.
The Red Wolves missed eight of their next nine shots against the zone. The Bears then got a basket inside by Jake Zuilhof and a three-pointer by Thatch Unruh to tie the game at 15-15 with 4:35 left in the first half.
ASU never trailed in the first half, but its 29-23 lead was trimmed in the final minute when Zuilhof scored inside and Martin hit a three-pointer to make it 29-28 at halftime.
Sports on 12/02/2014