CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears could not make enough free throws in the final minute Wednesday night and fell to the North Alabama Lions 78-73 in ASUN action at the Farris Center.

UCA, playing again without a pair of starters, made just 6 of 10 free throws over the final 1:15 while UNA went 9 of 12 to seal the win. The Lions (10-10, 2-5) also used a 10-run late in the second half to grab the lead from the Bears (6-14, 1-6) around the 4-minute mark.

UCA sophomore guard Camren Hunter recorded the fourth triple-double in school history, getting 20 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists and played a game-high 38:14 minutes. He finished 10 of 14 at the free-throw line and also had four steals and made two three-pointers.

"It was great for Cam Hunter to have a triple double," said UCA acting head coach Brock Widders said. "I wish he didn't have to get 12 rebounds. I wish he didn't have to do that. I wish we could distribute that out a little better. We're playing guys heavy minutes, we're asking them to do a lot. And Cam obviously did a lot tonight. 

"We've got Masai (Olowokere), and honestly, he was 50/50 this morning if he was even going to be able to play, and he gives us 37 minutes. That's the kind of toughness we're trying to move forward with." 

The Bears, who were out-rebounded 45-35, had as much as a nine-point lead in the first half but the Lions closed the gap in the final minute with a pair of three-pointers to tie it at 37-37 at halftime. UCA connected on nine three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes, including 3 of 3 from junior Masai Olowokere and 2 of 4 from junior Collin Cooper. For the game, UCA went 13 of 34 (38.2 percent) from beyond the arc. their ninth game with double-figure three-pointers.

"(We had) a young group out there, a true freshman point guard and others," said Widders, "but we have to be a little more poised. We have to finish out that half better, and that's as a collective group, from the coaching staff to the managers to the players. We have to finish out the first half and be more mature."

The Bears opened the second half with a 6-0 run, holding the Lions scoreless for the first four minutes of the half. It got close from there with UCA leading 62-57 with 6:30 to play. UNA then went on its 10-0 run over a four-minute span to grab the lead for good.

Cooper followed Hunter with 15 points, while Olowokere added 14 points. Jacari Lane led the Lions with 19 points, while Daniel Ortiz added 16. UNA made 15 of 21 at the free-throw line in the second half after going 2 for 4 in the first. UCA had no free throws in the first half and finished 16 of 23 at the line. There were seven total fouls in the first half and 27 in the final half.

The two teams meet again on Saturday at Flowers Hall in Florence, Ala. UCA swept the two meetings with the Lions last season, winning in overtime in Conway and by nine points on the road.