JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ An intense defensive battle eventually went in favor of the home team Thursday night as the Jacksonville Dolphins held off the University of Central Arkansas Bears 59-55 in ASUN action at Swisher Gymnasium.

The Bears shot 34.7 percent from the field and made just 4 of 17 from three-point range. The Dolphins, who improved to 9-1 at home this season, had similar numbers, going 6 of 20 from beyond the arc and shooting 38.6 percent overall. Jacksonville entered the game averaging 73.1 points per game.

"The last game (vs. Stetson) we played we played pretty good defense," said UCA head coach Anthony Boone. "And we continued to push the guys in that way and said we need to continue that and we'll have a chance in every game we play. And they came out determined.

"But Jacksonville is also a really good defensive team and their pressure got to us a little. We missed a couple of opportunities in transition that probably would have given us a better chance in the end to win. But overall, it was a great defensive effort by our guys, and after the game, that's what I told them. 

"I'm not sure we can play much better defense than that. And if we continue to do that, we'll eventually see the fruits of our labors."

The Bears, who led 28-24 at halftime after holding the Dolphins to 32-percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes, fell behind early in the second half after Jacksonville opened the second half with a 12-2 run. Still, the Bears kept it close and got to within two points at 54-52 with three-minutes remaining on a three-pointer from graduate Daniel Sofield from in front of the Bears' bench.

Jacksonville answered with a three-pointer before Glory Etim scoring on a drive with 2:20 left. The teams traded missed baskets over the next 1:30 before UCA's Javion Guy-King was fouled with 10.4 left on the clock. The freshman from Little Rock who earned his first start of the season, made 1 of 2 at the line to close it to 57-55. Gyasi Powell misfired for the Dolphins but Guy-King drove to the basket and missed and was knocked to the ground, with no foul called.

With 0.9 left, Bryce Workman made a pair of free throws for the Dolphins to set the final.

Guy-King scored a career-high 16 points and was 7 of 8 at the free-throw line as UCA made 17 of 21 (81 percent). Freshman Tucker Anderson scored 12 points while Etim, a sophomore, had 9 points and 8 rebounds. Robert McCray made four of Jacksonville's six three-pointers and led all scorers with 22 points. 

UCA continues its road trip just up the road at North Florida at 2 p.m. Saturday at UNF Arena.