CONWAY, Ark. _ There was nothing easy about it, but the University of Central Arkansas Bears remained perfect on Scottie Pippen Court on Saturday afternoon.

It took overtime, a late foul and a pair of free throws by sophomore guard Collin Cooper with .2 left for the Bears to secure an 89-88 victory over the North Alabama Lions in ASUN Conference action at the Farris Center. The Bears played most of the overtime period without three starters who fouled out but made the plays they needed to improve to 5-0 at home on the season.

"Not like this,' said UCA head coach Anthony Boone when asked about playing a game with so many ups and downs and momentum changes. "I told the guys just now, I've never, ever experienced a game like this. 

"But we always have a chance with the way these guys fight. The fight they showed this afternoon, we can always have a chance in any game. I'm very thankful. I told the guys, I'm blessed beyond what I deserve with this group. Very thankful for the effort they put in every day.'

The Bears (6-11, 3-1) got 25 points and 13 rebounds  _ his sixth double-double of the season _ from junior Darious Hall, but he was on the bench for the late heroics. Same for graduate forward Jared Chatham, who finished early with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman guard Camren Hunter scored a career-high 21 points and pulled down 5 rebounds but he also fouled out late.

That left Cooper and true freshman Ibbe Klintman as the only UCA starters left for the extra period. Cooper, a 6-foot-2 guard from Fayetteville, scored eight of his 14 points in the extra five minutes, including a three-pointer with 45 seconds remaining that drew the Bears within 85-84. UCA's defense forced three turnovers in overtime but the Lions still managed to go up 87-84 on a pair of free throws with 19.4 seconds remaining.

UCA quickly tied it at 87-87 with Masai Olowokere's second three-pointer of the game with 10.3 left to play. UCA survived fouling UNA's Isaac Chatman with 1.7 on the clock when the junior forward made only the second of two free throws. UCA inbounded the ball and Cooper took a pass from Klintman way out on the right wing and was fouled on a long three-point attempt. 

After an officials' review, Cooper was awarded three tree throws with .2 on the clock and made the first two before attempting to intentionally miss the third. His shot did not hit the rim, giving UNA one final inbounds pass and a shot that failed.

"We were throwing it to Ibbe, who would flip it to Coop to get a shot,' said Boone. "They closed out hard and fouled him. I didn't really understand why they were doing that, but I guess because Coop had hit some shots (they) wanted to challenge it. But the guys executed what we drew up, and that's not a play that we have designed. We just drew it up for them and they executed it.'

The Bears (6-11, 3-1), who trailed by 10 points at halftime after shooting just 31 percent from the field, used a 9-2 run midway through the second half to get back in it. Hall tied it for the Bears with 15.5 seconds left to send it to overtime, UCA's first overtime game of the season. The Bears outscored the Lions 47-37 in the second half, led by 17 points from Hunter and 16 more from Hall.

The teams traded free throws early in the extra period before UNA grabbed an 85-79 lead on a dunk by Damian Forrest with 1:12 to play. UCA responded with two Cooper free throws, followed by his third three-pointer.

"That was by far the craziest game I ever played,' said Cooper. "Coming back, getting it to OT, then getting down again and bringing it back again, with a minute left, down six. It was just crazy. 

"But I think about situations like this every time I go to the free-throw line, in practice, by myself, every time. I just think about situations like this. I just kept telling myself, it's the same situation I work on every day.'

UCA finished at 37.5 percent from the field and just 26.1 percent (6 of 23) from three-point range. But the Bears made the most of 38 free-throw attempts, connecting on a season-high 29, including 9 of 10 from Chatham, 7 of 9 from Hunter, 5 of 7 from Cooper and 4 of 5 from Hall. UCA also outrebounded UNA 45-42, with 13 offensive rebounds. 

The teams combined for 72 free throws on a combined 56 fouls. UNA had two starters foul out and three other players finish with four fouls. 

The Bears continue a three-game homestand on Tuesday night, hosting first-place Jacksonville State (9-6, 3-0) at 7 p.m. at the Farris Center.