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CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears opened Atlantic Sun Conference play with a victory Saturday for the second time in three years after an 84-81 win at North Alabama.

The Bears (5-12, 1-0) now return home to the Farris Center for two consecutive league games, beginning Thursday night when they host the Eastern Kentucky Colonels at 7:30 on Scottie Pippen Court.

The Colonels, the preseason favorites in the ASUN polls, are 6-9 overall but 2-0 in the conference after a pair of home victories over Lipscomb (80-72) and Austin Peay (69-59) last week at Baptist Health Arena. EKU's non-conference victories are over West Virginia Tech, Wilberforce, Troy and Bethany College. The Colonels are 6-3 at home and 0-6 on the road this season.

UCA held off UNA last Saturday in Florence after leading by as much as 23 points in the second half at Flowers Hall. Freshman Tucker Anderson made a pair of free throws with 4.4 seconds left to seal the win, part of his career-high 24 points. Anderson was joined in double figures by sophomore Carl Daughtery, Jr. with 15 and freshman Javion Guy-King with 11. The Bears were 10 of 24 (41.7 percent) from three-point range, with Anderson going 5 for 7. 

Anderson was named the ASUN Newcomer of the Week on Monday.

The Bears also won their ASUN opener in 2021-22, beating EKU 79-72 in RIchmond, Ky. UCA has won its league opener four of the past five years, dating back to the Southland Conference days.

The series between the Bears and Colonels is tied at 2-2, with UCA earning a two-game sweep two years ago and EKU returning the favor last season. The Colonels won 77-75 in Conway on Jan. 5 last season, placing four players in double figures, including 22 points from Devontae Blanton. UCA's Camren Hunter led all scorers with 25 points, one of four Bears in double figures.

In the second meeting in Richmond, the Colonels won easily 74-58 behind five players in double figures, despite shooting just 3 of 25 (12 percent) from three-point range. UCA was not much better at 17.4 percent (4 of 23) from the arc and also had 23 turnovers.

Former UCA Bear Collin Cooper (Fayetteville, Ark.) transferred to EKU and is averaging 6.7 points per game with 22 made threes.

The Bears will also host Bellarmine (4-13, 0-2) at 3:30 Saturday as part of another doubleheader with the Sugar Bears.