CONWAY, Ark. _ A frigid first half doomed the University of Central Arkansas Bears on Wednesday night in a 77-54 loss to the Little Rock Trojans in front of a crowd of 3,055 at the Farris Center.

    The Bears (1-8) shot just 22.2 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes and made just 1 of 12 from three-point range in their first home game of the season. Little Rock (9-0) closed the half with a 15-0 scoring run that resulted in a 37-15 halftime deficit, a hole from which the Bears could never recover.

    "I think we went 0 for our last 11 possessions of the half,' said UCA head coach Russ Pennell. "I think it was tied 9-9 at one point, (13:13 on the clock) so we only scored six points down the stretch. And that's kind of uncharacteristic for us. Their defense was good, but I thought we got good shots at the start of the game. I thought the first five minutes we actually got great looks.

    "We had some wide-open shots that just didn't go in, for whatever reason. They make shots and you get behind and then you get a little desperate. I thought the end of the first half, we kind of started hunting shots and weren't letting the offense work. And that's explains the deficit at halftime.'

    UCA came back and shot 60 percent from the field in the second half, including 6 of 11 from three-point range, and played the Trojans within 40-39 in the second half. That allowed the Bears to cut the deficit to 20 points in the final two minutes, but the Trojans still remained undefeated with their school-record ninth consecutive game to start the season. Little Rock, which beat UCA 79-73 in the first meeting at the Stephens Center in Little Rock on Dec. 1, made 17 of 18 from the free-throw line (94.4) percent. The Bears were 5 of 8 from the line.

    Marcus Johnson Jr. led the Trojans with 16 points, 12 less than he scored in the first matchup. Jalen Jackson followed with 14 points, while Josh Hagins scored 13 and Maurius Hill 11. UCA sophomore guard Jordan Howard led the Bears with 14 points, hitting 3 of 4 from three-point range  and scoring 12 points in the second half.

    The Bears scored the most points allowed against the Trojans this season (73) in the first meeting, and shot the best percentage from the field (48.9 percent). Little Rock, one of eight undefeated teams remaining in NCAA Division I, is currently leading the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 53.3 points per game and ranks 11th in defensive field goal percentage (36.0 percent). 

    "Their defense is very good, but I think they've improved offensively since the first game,' Pennell said. "I think they are playing a little more free. I think they shot the ball a little quicker, a little earlier in the possession, in this game than they did in the last. They are finding their stride on offensive. I think that's one of the things they had talked about, was getting their defense right, then kind of letting the offense take over. 

    "They're a good team. They blend well together and they do their stuff really, really well. I think it will take a pretty good effort to beat them.'
 
    UCA returns to action next Tuesday, taking on another in-state rival in Arkansas State. Tip-off is set for 7:05 at the Convocation Center i Jonesboro.