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CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears return home for two games at the Farris Center with a chance to solidify their spot in the 2013 Southland Conference Tournament that is now just a month away.
The Bears, 9-13 overall and 4-8 in league play, host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Thursday night and Sam Houston State on Saturday afternoon. UCA has six conference games remaining to position itself in the top eight teams that make up the tournament field. UCA is currently in seventh place.
The Bears beat the Islanders 76-67 in the first meeting this season on Jan. 19 in Corpus Christi. Senior forward Jarvis Garner scored a game-high 23 points as the Bears overcame 28-percent first-half shooting by hitting 54.8 percent in the second half to outscore the Islanders 52-33 after halftime.
UCA, the most prolific three-point shooting team in the SLC, connected on 8 of 12 in the second half at Corpus Christi and 10 of 26 for the game. Senior guard Robert Crawford, No. 1 in the league in three-pointers made (2.9 per game) and three-point percentage (43.8), was 5 of 12 from beyond the arc and added 17 points. Junior guard LaQuentin Miles scored 15 pionts and had 4 assists.
The Islanders (3-18, 2-9) are coming off just their second SLC victory of the season after they beat McNeese State 61-58 at home last Saturday. Will Nelson, a 6-foot-6 junior forward, leads A&M-CC in both scoring (13.4) and rebounding (7.6).
The UCA coaching staff, including head coach Corliss Williamson, will be coaching Thursday’s game barefoot as part of the Samaritan’s Feet project, an international program to provide shoes to needy children at home and abroad.
Wristbands will be sold in the lobby of the Farris Center for $10, which will sponsor one pair of shoes for a child in need through the program. Those who purchase the wristbands will be in the men’s halftime drawing for a 75th anniversary of March Madness basketball, autographed by Williamson, the MVP of the 1994 Final Four. The first name drawn will win the basketball, while the next four will receive autographed Nike Dri-fit T-shirts. Fans can purchase bands when the doors open at 4:30 p.m. for the women’s game.
