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NORMAN, Okla. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears will face their biggest challenge to date Thursday night when they take on the No. 12/13 Oklahoma Sooners in their first game back from the holiday break.

The Bears and Sooners will tip-off at 6 p.m. from the Lloyd Noble Center, with the game carried live on ESPN+, The Bear 91.3 and 92.7 Jack FM.

The Sooners, coached by former Little Rock head coach Porter Moser, are 10-1 overall and coming off their only loss of the season  on Dec. 20 against then-No. 11/13 North Carolina in the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte, N.C. The Tar Heels won 81-69 after forcing the Sooners into 18 turnovers. Oklahoma got 23 points from leading scorer Otega Oweh, who finished 10 of 11 at the free-throw line for the Sooners, who shot just 40.4 percent from the field overall.

UCA had a two-game winning streak broken in its last outing, dropping a 65-54 matchup at home against Western Illinois on Dec. 20. The Bears had their second-worst shooting night of the season, hitting just 31 percent from the field and 19 percent (4 of 21) from three-point range.

UCA had just two players in double figures, with sophomore Carl Daughtery, Jr. scoring 11 points and junior Elias Cato adding 10. The Bears had a season-low five assists to go along with 14 turnovers. UCA did force the Leathernecks into 16 turnovers and recorded nine steals, with four players with two each. UCA's 19 first-half points was also a season low.

The Bears and Sooners will be meeting for the fourth time, with all games played in Norman. OU leads the series 3-0, including last year's 87-66 victory. The closest matchup was the first meeting in 2010 when the Sooners edged the Bears 76-73, which is tied for the closest margin against a Power 5 program in UCA's Division I history.

UCA will be the third team from the state of Arkansas on the Sooners' schedule. Oklahoma beat UAPB 107-86 on Nov. 30 and downed Arkansas 79-70 on Dec. 9.

The Bears will continue their tough road trip at Missouri on Saturday afternoon, and then will host Champion Christian on Wednesday, Jan. 3 at the Farris Center before starting ASUN Conference play on Jan. 6 at North Alabama.