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    JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears head to Florida this week to face two unfamiliar foes in the North Florida Ospreys and the Jacksonville Dolphins in ASUN Conference play.

    The Bears, who have never faced either team, will meet the Ospreys at 7 p.m. (CT) Thursday at UNF Arena and then close out the trip against the Dolphins at Swisher Gymnasium 5 p.m. (CT) on Saturday night. Unfortunately, the Bears are in the middle of an eight-day lull due to covid-19 issues with the Liberty program. UCA was scheduled to host the Flames last Saturday but the game was moved to Feb. 21, leaving the Bears without a game since last Tuesday.

    Jacksonville State, the top team in the ASUN West and overall with a 6-0 record, beat UCA 86-81 on Tuesday at the Farris Center in a wild affair that featured 24 lead changes and 11 ties. UCA had five players in double figures, led by junior Darious Hall with 20 points. But the Gamecocks shot 52.5 percent from the field and had six players in double figures to hold off the Bears down the stretch.

    UCA will be playing its sixth first-time opponent on Thursday after already facing VMI, Presbyterian, Texas A&M, Eastern Kentucky and Bellarmine for the first time. The Bears will follow with newcomers Jacksonville on Saturday, followed by Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson both at the Farris Center and Kennesaw State on the road in February.

    In its first season in the ASUN, UCA is averaging 81 points per game and shooting 47.4 percent from the field with just 12 turnovers against league opponents. Those numbers are all better than the full-season numbers, which came in part against a stacked non-conference schedule that featured defending national champion Baylor, along with Texas A&M, Arkansas, Butler, Saint Louis and Oral Roberts.

    Hall, from Little Rock, Ark., continues to lead the Bears in both scoring (13.9 points per game) and rebounding (7.7), and is tied with freshman Camren Hunter for the lead in assists (2.7). Hunter, from Bryant, Ark., has been solid all season in his first year, averaging 12.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and shooting 45.6 percent from the field.

    UCA has four players averaging double figures in conference play in Hall, Hunter, sophomore guard Collin Cooper and graduate forward Jared Chatham. Hall is close to averaging a double with 17.6 points and 9.6 rebounds against ASUN foes.

    The Ospreys (4-16, 0-6) are led by sophomore guard Jose Placer, who averages 13.2 points per game, followed by junior forward Carter Hendricksen at 11.0. UNF has connected on 188 three-pointers, compared to 126 for the Bears. Sophomore guard Jarius Hicklen has made 43 three-pointers and Hendricksen has made 35.

    The Ospreys have 311 turnovers compared to 255 assists, including a team-high 50 turnovers by Placer. Jadyn Parker, a 6-foot-10, 180-pound freshman, is UNF's leading rebounder (4.9) and shot blocker (31 total).

    The game will be carried live on The Bear 91.3 and 92.7 Jack-FM, as well as online on ESPN+.