BEAUMONT, Texas _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears will try to break at two-game losing streak against one of the top teams in the Southland Conference on Saturday when they take on the Lamar Cardinals. Tipoff is set for 4:30 at the Montagne Center..

The Bears (7-9, 1-2) have lost two consecutive league games after opening with an 81-69 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 28. The Cardinals (10-6, 2-1) are also coming off a loss as New Orleans beat them 72-62 on Wednesday night in New Orleans.

"They were certainly my pick to win the league,' said UCA head coach Russ Pennell. "I thought they would be even a little bit ahead of Stephen F. Austin. I liked their team last year, and (head coach) Tic (Price) does a really good job, and he's got some older kids. They're a really good team.' 

"I think they will be a load in Beaumont. We're going to have to circle the wagons and come with a really good effort if we're going to win this ballgame.'

The Bears have misplaced their perimeter touch in the past two losses, hitting just 5 of 19 (26.3 percent) from beyond the arc in a 73-69 loss to Southeastern Louisiana, and making just 6 of 22 (27.2 percent) in Wednesday's loss at Sam Houston State. Still, the Bears enter Saturday's game as the top three-point shooting team in the SLC, connecting at a 36.9 percent clip.

The Cardinals are also capable from the perimeter, sitting second in the SLC at 36.5 percent. Lamar is just as good on the defensive end defending the three-pointer, ranking second with opponents shooting only 31.9 percent against them. The Cardinals also have the second-rated overall defense and No. 2 scoring defense, allowing just 66.6 points per game. UCA is scoring an average of 81.4 per game.

UCA senior guard Jordan Howard continues to lead the SLC in scoring at 23.7 points per game (seventh in the nation), and became just the second player in UCA history to eclipse the 2,000-point mark against SHSU. Howard, with 329 career three-pointers, is just two away from tying the conference record held by McNeese State's Demond Mallett.

Lamar leads the overall series 12-4 but UCA has won four of the past six matchups. The Cardinals won 78-75 last year at the Farris Center in Conway when UCA failed on a three-point attempt at the buzzer. Howard led the Bears with 21 points, while senior Mathieu Kamba added 18. Josh Nzeakor topped the Cardinals with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Colton Weisbrod added 13 and 12.

UCA is in the middle of a stretch of playing four of five games on the road, with the lone home game set for next Wednesday against Incarnate Word.

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