CONWAY -- Jordan Howard slowly walked the length of the court toward the free throw line with 28.5 seconds left, staring up at the Farris Center scoreboard as if to savor the final moments of one of the most meaningful victories ever for the University of Central Arkansas men's basketball program.
The senior guard who had experienced a 51-point home loss to Stephen F. Austin three years ago, scored a career-high 43 points Wednesday night to help the Bears (11-11, 5-4 Southland Conference) beat the Lumberjacks (16-4, 5-2) for the first time in school history, 100-92.
"We can win the Southland," said Howard, whose 2,201 career points are the most in UCA history. "We have the tools. We have the pieces to do it. All we have to do is compete like we did tonight every night."
Howard made his first five three-point attempts, each with a near-nonchalant flick of the wrist. The last sailed outward with a defender's arm nearly draping over him, and Howard leaned backward -- just feet away from his older brother, Desmond, who was watching courtside.
Then, once the Lumberjacks began to faceguard the Southland's three-point career-leader (348), junior guard Thatch Unruh made six consecutive from beyond the arc, which gave the Bears an insurmountable 83-67 lead with 7:57 left in the second half.
The tandem combined for 71 points and shot 13 of 17 (76.4 percent) from three-point distance, and Unruh's seven three-pointers were two shy of the school's single-game record set by Marcus Pillow against Texas-Arlington in 2009.
Unruh had a career-high 28 points.
"It was about time is what it was," he said.
Normally a starter, Unruh came off the bench Wednesday night. UCA Coach Russ Pennell said there was some question whether Unruh would play at all. Unruh sprained his ankle during Monday's practice, wore a boot while sitting out Tuesday, and told Pennell after gameday warmups that his ankle felt good enough to play.
"In the second half it started loosening up," said Unruh, before laughing. "The pain just kind of went away when I was making shots."
The victory flushed out nearly a decade of misery for the Bears who had lost their previous 16 meetings with Stephen F. Austin, which came into the game on pace to stay atop the Southland standings and holding a five-game victory streak.
Deandre Jones delivered two snapping backdoor passes that produced layups, including a dunk by senior guard Mathieu Kamba to give the Bears a 9-0 lead with 17:11 left in the half.
The Lumberjacks missed their first four three-point attempts until sophomore guard Kevon Harris made one to come within 27-19 with 8:56 left in the first half.
The Bears offense then went cold, with five missed shots and three turnovers to close out the half. They had led by as much as 11, but the Lumberjacks went on an 11-0 run to close the half with a 44-43 lead.
"When I walked into that locker room, they had their heads down at halftime. It was like they lost the game," Pennell said. "And I went in there, and I lit them up."
Four minutes out of halftime, senior guard Mathieu Kamba, who finished with 15 points, made a three-pointer to regain a 52-49 lead that the Bears never relinquished.
The Lumberjacks made one final push, when junior guard Shannon Bogues made a three, then dunked to spur a 13-3 run to come within 88-84 with 3:33 left in the game.
Stephen F. Austin never came as close again.
Howard and Unruh made eight free throws in the final two minutes to set the final score.
"We've got to play [SFA] again," said Pennell, whose teams had gone 17-72 in the three previous seasons. "If we do well, we'll play them in Katy [Texas, in the Southland Tournament]. So we don't need to get over our skis here and think that we've arrived, but it certainly is a moment in UCA basketball that we can say 'We know that we can play with these teams now.'"
SOUTHLAND WOMEN
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 59,
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 46
The University of Central Arkansas was outscored 40-25 in the second half as it dropped its second Southland Conference game of the season Wednesday to Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas.
UCA (14-6, 7-2) led 21-19 at halftime, but Stephen F. Austin (15-3, 7-0) scored the first seven points of the third quarter to take a 26-21 lead with 7:32 left. The Sugar Bears pulled within 30-27 with 3:06 left in the third quarter on Kamry Orr’s layup. Stephen F. Austin went on an 8-1 run to end the quarter and took a 38-28 lead into the fourth quarter.
Chanell Hayes’ three-pointer gave Stephen F. Austin its largest lead, 51-34, with 4:04 remaining.
Taylor Jackson scored 17 points and Hayes had 15 points for the Lumberjacks.
Kierra Jordan led the Sugar Bears with 15 points and five rebounds. Taylor Baudoin added 11 points and four rebounds.
Sports on 01/25/2018