HAMMOND, La._ The University of Central Arkansas Bears will get a second shot at their first Southland Conference victory on Saturday, and their second opportunity is on the road just like the first.

The Bears (5-9, 0-1) will take on the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at 4 p.m. Saturday at the University Center in Hammond, La.

UCA lost to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 87-75 on Wednesday night in Corpus Christi in their SLC opener, despite making a season-high 15 three-pointers. Sophomore guard DeAndre Jones led the Bears with 22 points, hitting five of those three-pointers. The Islanders won the game at the free-throw line, connecting on 27 of 35 at the line, including 22 of 26 in the decisive second half.

The Lions (4-10, 0-1) are coming off a 65-60 loss at league-favorite Stephen F. Austin on Wednesday. SLU, picked No. 2 in the preseason conference poll, has lost six consecutive games, including losses against Ole Miss, Bradley and Louisiana-Lafayette. The last four losses have been by a combined 10 points, including buzzer-beating defeats against Lafayette, Grambling and Bradley. The Lions' last victory was at Tulane on Dec. 1.

The game will feature two of the premier guards in the SLC. SLU senior Marlain Veal leads the league in assists and is eighth in scoring. UCA sophomore DeAndre Jones is 13th in scoring and third in assists and leads the league in three-point shooting at 45.3 percent (29 of 64). SLU's leading scorer is 6-foot-7 senior forward Moses Greenwood, who averages 15.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game to rank in the Top 5 in both categories.

UCA wants to avoid an 0-2 start in league play and will need to improve its defense and rebounding to do that. The Islanders shot 45.2 percent against the Bears and won the rebound battle 43-29, including a 12-4 margin on offensive boards. A&M-CC scored 15 second-chance points to none for the Bears.

UCA sophomore center Hayden Koval is the Bears' No. 2 scorer at 11.9 points a game and is fourth in the SLC in blocked shots at 1.4 per game. He blocked a season-high six shots in UCA's win over Lyon College on Dec. 30. All five starters for the Bears _ which includes two freshmen and two sophomores along with senior Thatch Unruh _ average at least eight points per game, with freshman Eddy Kayouloud also in double figures at 11 points per game.

After Saturday's game, the Bears return home for consecutive SLC games at the Farris Center, against Sam Houston State on Wednesday (7 p.m.) and against Lamar on Saturday (3 p.m.).