UCAFANS.COM | GO UCA BEARS!

Well, the time is finally here! The Sugar Bears open up the 2011-12 season against a Big 10 team, the Indiana Hoosiers. Yep, the Indiana University is playing in the Farris Center Friday night (11-11-11) at 7 p.m., with pregame beginning on The Bear 91.3 and UCAsports.com at 6:40.

IU returns only 2 starters from a 9-20 season (3-13 in Big 10 play). BUT, of their 14 players on this years roster, 9 of them are listed at 6' or taller. IU has played 2 exhibition games already, narrowly beat Indianapolis on Tuesday night with a late run.


The Sugar Bears return all 5 starters and their top 9 players from last years 21 win team. Here's hoping you guys can make it out to the FC tomorrow night. The Indiana's and Alabama's (Tuesday night's opponent) do NOT come to the FC every year. It's time to welcome a FBS program into the FC with a very warm, and maybe even a slightly hostile environment!

Read where IU's 5-person signing class form last year as ranked #23 in the country. So, they probably have a few talented freshmen that nobody has seen play yet.

They do, and a couple of them are JUCO transfers too, I believe. This really is a winnable game, but we have GOT to rebound and hold our own on the boards and not turn the ball over... sound familiar?

http://www.ucasports.com/news/2011/11/10/WBB_1110113646.aspx

SUGAR BEARS HOST HOOSIERS IN SEASON OPENER
11/10/2011 6:35:00 PM

CONWAY — Eight months ago, Central Arkansas drew a school-record women's basketball crowd of 2,953 against UAB in the Women's Basketball Invitational in what proved to be the Sugar Bears' season finale.

The new season begins Friday night for UCA, and head coach Matt Daniel would like to see a new record crowd on hand to witness it when the Sugar Bears host the Indiana University Hoosiers at 7 p.m. in the Farris Center.

"Tipoff's Friday at 7 – that's pretty much all I have to say," said Daniel, who will begin his fourth season at UCA. "I'd prefer instead of everybody reading about it, they just come out and watch it because it's going to take all of us. Every bit of us. It's going to take a gym that's packed to the hilt and an effort that's relentless and a mentality that's equally relentless. We had a great environment against UAB to end last season, and this is a tremendous opportunity to keep that momentum going."

The Hoosiers, the Sugar Bears' first-ever opponent out of the Big Ten, present UCA with a big challenge – literally – with nine players listed at 6-foot or taller and an average height of 6-1 for the 14-player roster...

Go SugarBears....looking forward to a good game.

Just about 10 min from tip-off!! GO SUGARBEARS!

Halftime

UCA 18
IU 22

Herbert held scoreless. Micah and Nakeia with 5 points each.

Westin Taylor is really hot tonight. 5 3-pointers so far.

Great win tonight - 58-46 over Indiana.

Taylor finishes with 15 points, Guiden with 12.

FINAL

UCA 58
IU 46

Way to go Sugarbears!!! Amazing to win at home vs a Big 10 team!!!

Big win for the Sugar Bears.
Great coaching game plan.
Outstanding comeback. Down 9 in the second half...come back to win by 12!
Sugar Bear Basketball...Ain't Nothin' Sweet About It!

Awesome. I think it is safe to say that this is a huge huge win for the Sugarbears. Beyond that, this is a signature victory for UCA athletics, in that we hosted and beat a Big 10 team. Congrats to the players and to the Coach and staff. Now go dominate the rest of the season and make us alums proud.

From IU Women's BBall Twitter:



Great job Sugarbear fans! It was a record crowd of 3,450!!

Told extended family that Sugar Bears beat Indiana. Comment, UCA plays Indiana?
Way to go Sugar Bears! A great day for UCA!