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   CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas will try to get back on the winning track at the best possible place, Scottie Pippen Court at the Farris Center, on Saturday afternoon.
    
    The Bears (5-11, 2-1) will host the North Alabama Lions (8-8, 1-2) at 3 p.m. in an arena where they are undefeated so far this season. UCA has won all four home games, including their ASUN opener last Sunday against Lipscomb University.

    UCA is coming off an 85-63 road loss at Bellarmine on Tuesday, just two days after the win over Lipscomb, with one day of travel between games. The Bears should be better rested for Saturday's matchup with the Lions, who are 2-5 in road games this season. UNA won its first ASUN game on Tuesday, knocking off Eastern Kentucky 76-75 at home in Florence, Ala.

    In the Bellarmine game, UCA shot a respectable 47.1 percent from the field and made eight three-pointers, but the Knights were on fire on their home court, shooting 63.2 percent overall and 42.1 percent from beyond the arc. Guard Dylan Penn did most of the damage with a career-high 38 points, hitting 18 of 22 from the field.

    UCA had three players in double figures, led by sophomore guard Collin Cooper with 15 points, but also had 16 turnovers and just nine assists on its 24 made baskets.

    The Bears and Lions, former members of the Gulf South Conference at the NCAA Division II level, will be meeting for just the eighth time, but the first time since the 2005-06 season. UNA leads the series 6-1. The GSC used divisional play for much of the time the teams shared the conference, hence the limited number of previous matchups despite the 13-year run as conference foes.

    UCA opened ASUN play with a 2-0 record, beating Eastern Kentucky on the road and Lipscomb at home. UNA began with 10-point losses at Lipscomb and at home against EKU.

    The Bears and Lions are fairly even statistically, with UCA scoring 71.4 points per game and UNA 72.7. The Bears shoot 44.7 percent from the field compared to 40.5 for the Lions. Three-point shooting leans toward the Lions at 3.37 percent to 31.2 percent, while UNA makes 9.8 per game compared to 7.0 for UCA.

    Freshman guard Daniel Ortiz is the only UNA player to average double figures (10.9 ppg), but the Lions have nine players who average at least 5 points per game. The leading rebounder is 6-foot-10, 220-pound Damian Forrest, a sophomore junior college transfer, who averages 6.3 boards per game.

    Saturday's game is the first of three home games this week. UCA hosts Jacksonville State at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Liberty at 3:15 next Saturday as part of a doubleheader with the Sugar Bears.