Bears can’t get over the hump at end

TCU guard Mike Miles Jr. (1) shoots against Central Arkansas guard Eddy Kayouloud (13) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
TCU guard Mike Miles Jr. (1) shoots against Central Arkansas guard Eddy Kayouloud (13) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022. (AP Photo/LM Otero)


CONWAY -- The University of Central Arkansas had a chance.

With more than 19 minutes left to play Thursday night, the Bears (5-11, 0-3 ASUN) were down 23 points but still with a chance at victory.

With 2.1 seconds remaining and trailing by two points, forward Eddy Kayouloud stepped to the line with a pair of free throws which could have given the Bears their first tie since the game's opening minutes.

Kayouloud missed the front end and intentionally missed the second, but Eastern Kentucky (9-7, 2-1) secured the rebound and the 77-75 win Thursday night at the Farris Center.

The Bears entered halftime down 49-32 as the Colonels shot 61.8% from the field which included five three-pointers.

If that deficit wasn't enough, the Bears had to make their comeback without rotation members Collin Cooper, Elias Cato and Johannes Kirsipuu due to injury, and head coach Anthony Boone to an illness.

"We're facing a lot of adversity right now," UCA assistant coach Brock Widders said. "I'm proud of the way our guys bounced back. We got some players out, and the heart and soul of our team Anthony Boone out, we dug ourselves quite the hole. ... Down 17, without some guys, without our head coach, and we responded at halftime. [I'm] really, really proud of that right there."

Out of the half, Eastern Kentucky's Michael Moreno hit back-to-back three-pointers to make it 55-32. Following those baskets, UCA went on a 15-2 run led by VJ Reeves' nine points to trim the deficit to 57-47.

UCA followed that with another run, this time a 17-8 spree to trail 65-64 with 9:42 remaining.

Camren Hunter and Reeves were both instrumental in the Bears' second-half turnaround. Hunter scored 14 of his team-high 25 points in the second half, and Reeves scored 10 of his 16 points.

After the break, the UCA staff had the Bears go small and primarily play the 6-7 Kayouloud as the lone big man. Widders said that was the crucial defensive adjustment his team made to outscore the Colonels 43-28 and hold the Colonels to 35.3% shooting from the field over the final 20 minutes.

For the game, Eastern Kentucky outshot UCA slightly 48.5%-46.3%. Freshman Devontae Blanton helped maintain the Colonels' lead with 14 of his 22 points coming in the second half.

The loss was the seventh straight for the Bears and three days after an overtime loss to Florida Gulf Coast.

With players out, their head coach sick and losses piling up, Widders stressed how important it is to not let that become too much for the available players.

"We got a short number of bodies, so we got to take care of our bodies. [But] the biggest thing is we got to take care of the mental side, too," Widders said. "We have to stay locked in because I see how close we are, and I hope our players see how close we are."


Box score

UCA;M;FG;FT;O-R;PF;A;PTS

Reeves;33;6-14;0-0;0-6;1;3;16

Hunter;36;10-18;3-5;1-3;1;6;25

Klintman;30;4-4;0-0;2-4;1;3;10

Olowokere;36;3-9;0-1;3-6;1;1;6

Kayouloud;37;6-15;0-2;3-7;3;1;12

Crafoord;11;0-2;0-0;1-1;0;2;0;

Bounds;8;1-2;0-0;0-2;0;0;3

Daugherty;10;1-3;0-0;0-0;0;0;3

McDaniel;1;0-0;0-0;0-0;0;0;0

Team;1-3

Totals;200;31-67;3-8;11-32;7;17;75

PCT. — FG 46.3, FT 37.5. 3-PT. — 10-25, 40.0 (Reeves 4-8, Klintman 2-2, Hunter 2-7, Bounds 1-1, Daugherty 1-3, Olowokere 0-3, Kayouloud 0-1). BL — 6 (Hunter 2). TO — 16 (Hunter 5). ST — 7 (Hunter 3).

EKU;M;FG;FT;O-R;PF;A;PTS

Blanton;31;10-22;2-4;3-8;1;1;22

Moreno;23;4-7;0-0;2-3;0;0;12

Cozart27;4-6;0-1;5-11;2;0;8

Comer28;3-6;0-0;0-1;1;3;7

Robb;33;0-3;0-0;0-4;4;0;0

Kapiti13;1-4;0-2;3-4;2;1;2

Walker;21;6-12;0-0;1-5;0;0;14

Ukomadu;17;5-7;2-2;1-3;0;0;12

Buttry;7;0-1;0-0;0-0;0;1;0

Team;1-4

Totals;200;33-68;4-9;16-43;10;6;77

PCT. — FG 48.5, FT 44.4. 3-PT. — 7-14, 50.0 (Moreno 4-7, Walker 2-2, Comer 1-1, Robb 0-3, Blanton 0-1). BL — 5 (Cozart, Ukomadu 2). TO — 18 (Walker 6). ST — 10 (Robb, Ukomadu 3).

Halftime — Eastern Kentucky 49, Central Arkansas 32

Referees — Patterson, Grigg, Chittum

Attendance — 545.

 



Upcoming Events