CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears will face two consecutive in-state opponents, starting with the UALR Trojans at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock.

    The Bears, who have played four of their five games on the road this season, will then turn around and host Arkansas State at 7 p.m. Monday at the Farris Center.

    "I've told the guys, especially the ones that aren't from Arkansas, just how big these games are,' said first-year UCA head coach Russ Pennell, who played at UCA in the early 1980s. "I think this is important. UCA hasn't been Division I for that long, and I think we're looked as kind of as the little brother. While I have great respect for what UALR and Arkansas State are doing, we need to battle them. I think this needs to be a rivalry series, whatever you want to call it, for years to come. 

    "But in order for a rivalry to be good, both teams have to be good. So we're going to have to raise our play on Saturday when we play UALR.'

    The Bears (0-5) are coming off an 80-67 loss at Charleston Southern on Tuesday night, a game in which they shot 61.9 percent from the field in the second half to overcome a good portion of a 27-point deficit. Freshman Jordan Howard led four players in double figures with 18 points.

    UALR (3-1), which has played three of its four games at home, are coming off a 94-88 double-overtime win over CSUN last Sunday at the Stephens Center as part of the Maiu Invitational Regional.

    The Bears are led in scoring this season by Howard, who is averaging 16.4 points per game and has been in double figures in all five outings. Junior center Jake Zuilhof is averaging a team-high 4.8 rebounds, while junior guard Mike Martin has a team-high 3.8 assists per game. UCA pulled down 36 rebounds against Charleston Southern to out-rebound an opponent for the first time this season.