CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears, who had been finding a way to win the close games recently, ran out of luck Thursday night as the Southeastern Louisiana Lions escaped with a 70-69 victory before a crowd of 1,878 and an ESPN3 audience at the Farris Center.
UCA senior Robert Crawford had given the Bears (8-11, 3-6) a 69-68 lead with a three-pointer with just six seconds left. The Lions’ Dre Evans drove the length of the court looking for a game-winning layup but UCA’s LaQuentin Miles came from behind to block his shot with 1.2 seconds left.
After a pair of timeouts, SLU scored on a perfectly executed inbounds play by Roosevelt Johnson with just 0.9 seconds left. UCA inbounded but DeShone McClure’s heave from just past halfcourt barely missed at the buzzer as UCA’s three-game winning streak came to an end.
UCA had won a triple overtime game last Thursday against McNeese State on the same court.
“Give them credit, they were able to execute and finish,’ said UCA head coach Corliss Williamson. “Miles made an incredible play hustling back on defense to stop the easy two-point shot and give us an opportunity to possibly win the game.
“I just have to tip my hat to Coach (Jim) Yarbrough and his team. They did a great job of coming into our home and finding a way to win the game.’
The Bears played without their leading scorer and reigning SLC Player of the Week, senior forward Jarvis Garner, who was serving the first game of a two-game suspension. In his absence, senior guard Robert Crawford led the Bears with 17 points, knocking down 5 of 8 from three-point range. Miles added 15 points but was just 5 of 23 shooting from the field. Senior center Anthony Borden added 13 points for UCA.
Senior forward Roosevelt Johnson did most of the damage for the Lions with a season-high 28 points and 14 rebounds as SLU shot 50.9 percent from the field, compared to UCA’s 41.4 percent. Johnson made 2 of 3 from three-point range, his first three-pointers of the season.
“He (Johnson) went to work early,’ said Williamson. “He knocked down two threes early in the game and he’s not known for being a three-point shooter. So you could tell it was going to be one of those nights for him. He was a load inside for us early in the game, then he stepped up and made a big play for them there at the end.’
UCA trailed for most of the first half, and was down 39-34 at halftime. But the Bears fought back early in the second half and led by as much seven points after Lenell Brown hit a three-pointer at the 9:00 mark. But SLU put together a 10-2 run to take the lead at 65-64 with 2:50 to play.
Borden scored inside to give the Bears a one-point lead with 2:26 left and Brandon Fortenberry made 1 of 2 at the line to tie it at 66-66 with 1:24 to play. Fortenberry connected again on a jumper with just 27 seconds remaining but Crawford answered on the other end with his fifth three-pointer with six seconds left.
UCA finishes out its four-game homestand on Saturday, hosting Nicholls State at 4 p.m.
