ABILENE, Texas _ Cold shooting put an end to the University of Central Arkansas' four-game winning streak on Saturday as the Bears dropped a 79-56 decision to the Abilene Christian Wildcats in a battle for second place at Moody Coliseum.

UCA (10-11, 5-3) shot just 30 percent for the game and made just 4 of 20 from three-point range in losing for the first time since Jan. 9. The win gave the Wildcats (17-4, 6-2) sole possession of second in the Southland Conference and dropped the Bears into third place. 

"That's just the case of an older team needing a win and a younger team that doesn't understand how hard it's going to be to win that game,' said UCA head coach Russ Pennell. "I just didn't think we ever had a great look from the very beginning. Maybe that's on us, maybe this moment is a little too big right now. I don't know. We'll go back and talk about it. I want to know if they felt like there was pressure put on them. We tried really hard not to. In fact, I wonder if we downplayed it too much.

"But it was just one of those games... Abilene is a good team and had a good strategy, but they just outplayed us. They played a lot harder than we did. And that part's disappointing. But it's another step in the growth process of learning what it takes to be a championship level team.'

The shooting woes could be attributed, at least partially, to ACU's defense, which ranks No. 1 in the SLC in numerous categories. UCA entered the game averaging 71.8 points and shooting 44 percent from the field but was held to a season-low 15 field goals and tied its season low with four three-pointers.

"What they've got to understand is people have a lot of respect for them,' Pennell said of his young squad. "They were hyped coming in and had some really good games in the past month. And it's like we were surprised when someone gets after them. They don't know how to counter that right now. And you have to counter that with better effort. And I just felt like we were tentative all evening. We didn't have that agressiveness that we've been having. 

"It's unfortunate that it happened. But again, when you haven't been here in this spot before, I don't know how you would know how to react. Sometimes you react the correct way and today we certainly didn't.'

UCA shot a frigid 28.6 percent (6 of 21) from the field in the first half and trailed 39-29 at halftime. The Bears stayed within striking distance at the break by hitting 17 of 23 at the free throw line, compared to 10 of 12 for the Wildcats. ACU shot 41.9 percent, making 13 field goals, three of those from three-point range. 

The Wildcats, coming off a last-second loss at Stephen F. Austin that broke their four-game winning streak, shot 51.7 percent in the second half to pull away for the victory. Senior Jalone Friday led four Wildcats in double figures wiht 17 points, 13 of those in the second half. ACU, which improved to 10-1 at home this season, finished with 18 assists to UCA's seven and forced the Bears into 20 turnovers, tying their second wost effort in that area this season.

Sophomore DeAndre Jones and Hayden Koval had 13 points each for the Bears, with Jones handing out five assists and Koval blocking three shots. 

"I have to get into their head and find out what they were thinking today,' said Pennell. "I want to know that more than anything and then I'll know how to coach them. I certainly don't think they came in confident, like these guys aren't any good and we're just going to roll through them. I have a feeling they built it up in their heads a little bit too much.' 

UCA faces another SLC power in Stephen F. Austin on Wednesday night in Nacogdoches, Texas, before coming home to the Farris Center for three consecutive games, beginning Feb. 2 against Northwestern State.