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    SPRINGFIELD, Mo. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears are set to compete for the first time in two weeks on Saturday night when they face the Missouri State Bears at JQH Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

    UCA had its expected 10-day break turn into a 14-day layoff when Little Rock canceled Tuesday's game due to injuries and illness, giving the Bears a much longer span away from the court than was planned. Due to final exams, the Bears last played on Saturday, Dec. 4 when they lost 95-82 to Arkansas State in Jonesboro. The cancellation also cost the Bears what would have been just their second home game of the season.

    Missouri State, meanwhile, has played three times since then, winning at Little Rock (81-55) on Dec. 8, beating Oral Roberts (69-60) at home on Dec. 11 and South Dakota State (75-63) at home on Wednesday. The MSU Bears are 7-4 overall and 0-1 in Missouri Valley Conference play after an overtime loss at Illinois State on Dec. 1.

    The only mutual opponent on the two schedules is ORU, which UCA also beat 70-67 at the Farris Center back on Nov. 20 in its only home game of the season so far.

    The MSU Bears lead the overall series 10-2 but the teams last met in 2010. MSU dominated that game, winning 101-61 in Springfield. The maroon Bears had six players in double figures, led by Kyle Weems with 20 points. UCA had four in double figures but none more than Imad Qahwash's 12 points. UCA trailed 51-26 at halftime. For the game, MSU shot 61.3 percent and set arena records for points and assists, jumping out to an 18-3 lead to open the game.

    In UCA's last game, the Bears outscored the Red Wolves 47-44 in the second half but could not come all the way back from a 51-35 halftime deficit. Junior transfer Darious Hall from Little Rock topped the Bears with a career-high 30 points, along with nine rebounds and three steals. Freshman Vincent Reeves added a career-high 11 points.

    UCA has battled injuries during its break, with possibly three players missing from Saturday's lineup. However, the Bears could see the season debuts of sophomore guards Masai Olowokere and Lewis McDaniel.

    Missouri State, under the direction of head coach Dana Ford, has won three straight games this season and has never lost to UCA in Springfield (8-0). They are led by junior guard Isiaih Mosley, who was the MVC Player of the Week this week after averaging 23 points and 7 rebounds last week. Mosley averages 16.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

    Hall leads UCA in both scoring (12.2 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 apg). Freshman point guard Camren Hunter is the only other Bear who averages double figures at 11.2 points and is also UCA's assist leader at 2.4 per game.

    Freshman guard/forward Ibbe Klintman, from Malmo, Sweden, is in line for his first start for the Bears. He has played in eight of the nine games and averages 2.4 points and 1.4 rebounds.
       
    UCA is finally scheduled for another home game next Monday when it hosts cross-town rival Hendrix at noon on Scottie Pippen Court before taking a nine-day holiday break.