LAKE CHARLES, La. _ The top two scorers in the Southland Conference will square off Sunday at the Lake Charles Civic Center when the University of Central Arkansas Bears take on the McNeese State Cowboys.

    MSU’s Patrick Richard leads the league at 17.3 points per game, while UCA’s LaQuentin Miles is right behind at 17.0. The Cowboys (8-10, 4-2) have ridden Richard to a tie for first place in the Southland Conference East Division. UCA (7-11, 2-4) is tied for fourth in the division and trying to stay in the race.

    UCA is coming off a 75-71 overtime loss to Southeastern Louisiana on Wednesday, also on the road. The Bears saw a 16-point first-half lead vanish in the second half. The Lions’ biggest lead was just five points, but that came in overtime.

    The Bears have won just two road games this season, but may have better odds with Sunday’s 3 p.m. tipoff. The game is being played at the Lake Charles Civic Center, rather than McNeese’s regular home court, Burton Coliseum. The teams have never met anywhere but Burton since UCA joined the league in 2006.

    The Cowboys, who won the East Division a year ago, will be playing their first game of the season at the Civic Center. They were 15-2 at Burton Coliseum last season.

    UCA beat Northwestern State, now in a first-place tie, on Jan. 14 for one of its two road victories.

    Miles leads the SLC in steals at 2.3 per game while junior guard Robert Crawford is shooting a league-best 53.1 percent from three-point range.

    UCA will have consecutive home games next week, hosting Northwestern State in the rematch on Wednesday and then the league’s hottest team, UT Arlington, on Saturday. UTA is 6-0 in conference play and has won 10 consecutive games overall.