LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock rallied from a double-digit deficit in the second half and led Central Arkansas by five with just over a minute to go. But the Bears closed out the game on an 8-0 run, capped by a game-winning three from DeAndre Jones from well beyond the three-point arc, handing the Trojans a heartbreaking 85-82 loss at the Jack Stephens Center.
The loss drops Little Rock to 4-6 on the year as the Bears sweep the home-and-home series against their in-state rivals. Additionally, the victory gave four more points to Central Arkansas, officially clinching the inaugural Governor's I-40 Showdown.
Trailing 44-35 at halftime, Little Rock trailed by as many as 10 in the second half before rallying all the way back, tying the game at 56-56 with 11:56 remaining. From that point on the two teams combined for nine ties and 10 lead changes, leading up to the Trojans seeing an 82-77 lead fall away.
The loss came despite one of the best offensive performances on the year for the Trojans, who shot 63.8% from the floor (30-47), including going 16-of-22 (72.7%) in the second half. It was also Little Rock's best effort of the year from the free throw line, making 18 of its 21 attempts (85.7%).
But where this game was lost for Little Rock boiled down to two key categories – turnovers and offensive rebounds. The Trojans committed 19 turnovers, which lead to a 29-18 advantage for Central Arkansas. The Bears also pulled down 16 offensive boards on the night, resulting in a 23-10 edge in second chance points.
It was another solid outing for
Rayjon Tucker, who led all scorers with 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 4-for-5 at the free throw line, while pulling down four rebounds and dishing out four assists. Tucker scored in double figures for the ninth-straight game, eclipsing the 20-point plateau for the fifth time.
Kris Bankston set a new career-high with 20 points on the night, going 8-for-10 from the floor, including six dunks to up his season total to 30. Bankston was also efficient from the free throw line, making four of his five attempts, with a block as well.
Horace Wyatt Jr. had his best night in a Trojan uniform, finishing with 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting and 6-of-6 from the free throw line, adding a pair of assists and a pair of steals.
Nikola Maric added 11 points and six rebounds for the Trojans, making five of his seven attempts, with
Jaizec Lottie dishing out a game-best nine assists to go along with three points and six rebounds.
Looking to pick up four crucial points in the Governor's I-40 Showdown, Little Rock raced out to another fast start on its in-state rivals, opening up a 13-2 lead on the Bears in the opening four minutes of the game. Four different Trojans scored during the opening run, including five from Tucker and four from Wyatt.
But a UCA timeout seemed to turn the tide as over the final 16 minutes of the first half, the Bears outscored the Trojans 42-22, including a 15-5 run beginning at the seven-minute mark which turned a 26-24 Little Rock lead into a 39-31 Bear advantage.
UCA extended its lead to nine at the end of the opening 20 minutes despite the Trojans shooting 56% from the floor and 85.7% from the free throw line. 10 Little Rock turnovers and nine Central Arkansas offensive rebounds led to an 18-6 edge for the Bears in points off turnovers and 15-5 in second chance points.
The Bears extended their lead to 10 early in the second half, but the Trojans slowly began to chip away at the lead. Trailing by five, a flagrant one by UCA help provide the spark the Trojans needed as back-to-back dunks from Bankston, followed by a three from Tucker, were part of a 9-4 run for Little Rock, pulling even at 56-56 with 11:56 remaining and setting up the dramatic finish.
The victory for UCA marks the third-straight in the series for the Bears as they have now won three-straight over the Trojans for the first time since winning six-straight from 1967-74. It is also the first win for Central Arkansas in Little Rock since the 1969-70 season.
Little Rock will now try and close out their four-game home stand even, getting ready to face Miles College on Tuesday, December 11 at the Jack Stephens Center. Opening tip against the Golden Bears is set for 6:30 p.m.
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