DMc on the Sugar Bears’ Loss to Nicholls

And more including proposing future games with UALR, the Southland’s place on the national stage, and how bad Alabama and Indiana were this season…

The Sugar Bears had played with fire all season. Odds were, they were going to get burned badly sooner or later. They did not play as well away from the Farris Center. They were a chronically slow-starting team, putting themselves in a hole in many a first half — including a 16-point first-half deficit against Nicholls State at Thibodaux.

If a team could disrupt the UCA’s rhythm when the Sugar Bears made a run, UCA was beatable.

The Sugar Bears are a team with great chemistry but not a dominating team.

Bearbackers recap from DMc

The Sugar Bears have won seven straight. The Bears have lost five straight.

The Sugar Bears lead the east division. The Bears are tied for last in the east.

As DMc pointed out last week in a tweet – “UCA men’s and women’s games seem to follow continuing patterns in opposite directions”

Both teams have gone on huge dry spells in games. The difference so far has been that the women some how snap out of them with just enough time to get out of there with a win – that includes some amazing comebacks.

After rallying in the final four minutes to defeat Northwestern State on the road Wednesday, the Sugar Bears rallied from a 40-16 deficit at the 17:00 mark and down 11 with 3:36 left to overtake a 4-16 UT Arlington team, 53-51, also on the road…

“We really pulled road games out of the fire — at Northwestern and UTA. But we had a week in which we had five different players hit really big shots for us… To see so many players step up and make shots and to come back like that was a lot of fun — kind of.” - assistant head coach Tony Kemper

The men just can’t get over the hump to win games. They’ve been close.

“We’re right there, but I don’t want to continue to say that,” [head coach Corliss Williamson] said. “You need somebody who can step up and make a play. When we’re coming back and it gets to the breaking point, it makes that next possession, whether it’s getting a stop or getting a basket, that much more important.”

The Bears were 2-2 in SLC play before their five-game slide. They are battling injuries and played Saturday without their leading scorer. The remaining seven Southland games include five against teams with 3 or fewer conference wins – all winnable games. McNeese and UTSA are the teams with better records, and both of those games are at home. There’s still a chance to finish much closer to .500 than the Bears a now.

Look who’s back on top

Megan Herbert is good. You know it. I know it. And the rest of the conference knows it.

For the second consecutive week and the fourth time this season, Central Arkansas junior forward Megan Herbert has been named Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday.

Herbert averaged 22.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in two games last week

Best news for Sugar Bear fans? She’s just a junior. (We do lose some pretty solid seniors after this season though.)

Sugar Bears-McNeese Showdown #1

The Sugar Bears got their win Wednesday night over a pesky Southeastern La. team to set up the first of two regular season showdowns with the reigning Southland Champions, the McNeese State Cowgirls. McNeese has won 7 in a row, sport the best record in the SLC (16-4), and are a perfect 6-0 this year in the SLC. The Cowgirls beat Nicholls State in Lake Charles on Monday night and have had a few extra days to prepare to make the trip to Conway.

McNeese State is ranked #11 in this week’s Colleginsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, and again feature the Baggett twins and Kendra Wells, MSU’s top rebounder. I believe both teams are ranked 1-2 in 7 or 8 categories in the SLC heading into the match up tomorrow. They finished 15-1 last year in SLC play, with their lone loss coming in OT here at the Farris Center. In fact, MSU’s last 2 SLC losses have come at the hands of the Sugar Bears.

UCA is now 15-4, 5-1 in league play, and sit 1 game behind the Cowgirls after the win over SLU. The Sugar Bears, ranked #17 in this week’s Collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, are riding a 4 game winning streak, the third such streak this season, and are still perfect at home at 11-0. I hope the fans show up in force like they did for the Indiana and Alabama games, this is a big SLC battle to say the least. Tip off at the Farris Center is set for 2 pm, and the radio broadcast will begin at 1:40 pm on The Bear 91.3 and UCAsports.com.

Sugar Bears host Southeastern Louisiana

The Sugar Bears continue their three game home stand tonight at the Farris Center when they host the Lady Lions of Southeastern Louisiana at 7 pm. UCA enters tonight’s game 14-4 overall, and sit in 2nd place in the SLC East with a 4-1 mark, 1.5 games behind McNeese. (who comes to town on Saturday)  The girls have won 3 in a row since the SFA loss, 6 of their last 7 and 10 of  the last 12.

The Sugar Bears lead the SLC in several categories, and are even ranked in the top 10 nationally in defense in 2 categories, and top 15 in 3 different categories.   The Sugar Bears remain #17 in this week’s Collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25. McNeese is up to #11 now.

Meanwhile, Southeastern La. comes in on the opposite end of the spectrum. The Lady Lions (5-12, 0-4) have lost 4 in a row, and 8 of their last 9 games. They have only 1 win over a true Division 1 opponent (Jackson St.) and have another over a transitional team. (New Orleans) The Lady lions were swept by UCA last year and have lost 3 of the last 4 in this series. The Sugar Bears lead the series 6-5 overall. Also, UCA tries to remain perfect at home this season. (10-0)  So hopefully see you at the Farris tonight, 7 pm tip, 6:40 pregame on UCAsports.com (internet only)

SBs vs Lamar 1.21.12

Well the 13-4, 3-1 Sugar Bears finally come home for 3 straight games starting Saturday afternoon when Lamar visits in the first game of the doubleheader. Tipoff is at 2 pm and both games will be heard live on The Bear 91.3 and UCAsports.com beginning at 1:40 pm.

UCA is coming off the long trip and big comeback win over Nicholls, Lamar enters the Farris Center 9-8 overall, and 1-2 in SLC play with a full week off and a win at UTA in their last game a week ago Saturday.

The Sugar Bears have won 2 in a row in the series after the dominating defensive effort holding Lamar to a school SLC game record low 37 points a couple of weeks back in the 62-37 win at Beaumont.

Hope to see you guys there tomorrow afternoon! I know a great crowd would be nice to see after the 1st 3 of 4 SLC games have been on the road. Plus I’m sure the men wouldnt mind having a big crowd on hand either now that they’ve won 2 in a row as well!