CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears open a three-game road swing in Southland Conference play Saturday at Nicholls State. 

    The Bears (2-13, 1-4) will take on the Colonels at 3 p.m. at Stopher Gym in an ESPN3 telecast.

    UCA has played consecutive league leaders in Stephen F. Austin (5-0) and Houston Baptist (6-0) and will now take on a Colonels team that is 5-14 overall and also 1-4 in league play. However, Nicholls is 4-1 at home, losing only to Lamar, which happens to be UCA's one SLC victory.

    Both teams have played the upper level of the SLC so far this season, with UCA's four losses coming to opponents with a 19-2 record and Nicholls' last three opponents holding a 16-1 mark. The Colonels lead the overall series with the Bears 11-7 and have won the past three meetings. UCA is 2-7 in games played at Stopher Gym.

    UCA sophomore Jordan Howard is second in the conference in scoring at 17.9 points per game and is coming off a 27-point showing in a loss to Houston Baptist last week. Junior guard Ja'Dante' Frye leads the Colonels at 16.0 and is tied for sixth in the SLC. The teams are evenly matched statistically, with both in the lower end of the league in scoring offense and scoring defense. UCA is the better three-point shooting and rebounding team, while Nicholls is better at three-point defense.

    UCA continues its road trip at New Orleans on Monday and at Northwestern State on Feb. 2.

    Follow Saturday's game on ESPN3 or on KUCA 91.3 with Justin Acri.