NORMAN, Okla. _ The competition level will ratchet up a notch Thursday night when the University of Central Arkansas Bears face off with the Oklahoma Sooners at the Lloyd Noble Center.

    The Sooners, coached by veteran Lon Kruger, are ranked No. 6 and 8 in the national polls and are undefeated at 4-0.

    "I think these are the type of games, honestly, I don't feel nervous and our kids don't,' said UCA head coach Russ Pennell. "Obviously, everyone thinks we have no shot. But the reason we have a shot is because we're going to play the game. I think the big thing for us is wanting to play well. And if you hang in there and you have a chance, that's fine.'

    The Bears, 1-5, last played a Top 25 team in 2010 when they lost 91-63 to Oklahoma State in December 2012. However, the last time UCA faced Oklahoma, in December 2010, the Sooners held off the Bears for a 76-73 victory.
    
    "Oklahoma is really, really good,' Pennell said. "They're a Final Four-caliber team. (Senior guard) Buddy Hield is probably a (NBA) lottery pick. But our guys have worked their whole lives to play in these kind of games. We don't get to go to the NCAA Tournament this year, so this is an NCAA Tournament for us. This could be a 1-16 (seed), or a 2-15. So, if we're ever going to make those advancements in the Southland Conference and one day make the NCAA Tournament, that's who our opponent would be anyway.

    "So we'll go give all we got playing against the Sooners, then we'll head on up to Pittsburgh and play the Panthers. These next two will be challenging but I think they're going to be fun. And it will certainly give our guys an opportunity to play in some big-time environments.'

    The Bears are third in the Southland Conference in scoring, averaging 75.3 points per game. They lead the league in field-goal percentage at 45.2 percent. Sophomore guard Jordan Howard is fourth in the SLC in scoring, averaging 16.8 points per game. The reigning SLC Freshman of the Year has scored in double figures in 34 of his 35 career games at UCA and had made at least one three-pointer in 33 games.

    UCA is coming off a 79-73 loss at Little Rock on Tuesday night, but do have something to build on from that game. The Bears scored the most points allowed by the defensive-minded Trojans this season and shot the best percentage of any Little Rock opponent (48.9 percent overall). UCA made 8 of 18 from three-point range (44.4 percent), with Howard going 4 for 6 en route to a game-high 22 points.

    Hield leads the Sooners in scoring at 22 points per game and is shooting 52 percent from three-point range. He was named Wednesday as one of 50 players on the Naismith Trophy watch list for the men's College Player of the Year. 

    "It's interesting,' Pennell said. "Last year our team wasn't nearly as good as it is this year and I thought two of our better games were when we played New Mexico and Nebraska. In the first halves, we played extremely well and the guys were hyped and having a good time. So I expect us to go and compete. 

    "That's the thing about our team, they will compete. We just need that one little extra effort, especially on the defensive end. And if we can get that, we're going to be a good team.'

    The Bears continue their road trip on Sunday with an 11 a.m. (CT) tipoff against the Pitt Panthers from the Petersen Events Center.