Bears travel to Fayetteville to face Razorbacks at Bud Walton tonight

CONWAY, Ark. — UCA continues an early-season road swing Tuesday when it traveled north to face the Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Bud Walton Arena and the game will be broadcast live on SEC+ and radio affiliates The Bear 91.3 and Jack 92.7, with live stats online.

UCA enters the contest at 1-1 overall and 0-0 in conference play, while Arkansas also carries a 1-1 mark and 0-0 in league games.

The Bears and Razorbacks have met three previous times—with Arkansas winning all three, including two in Fayetteville and one in Little Rock.

UCA’s only returning stat-recorded player from last season’s meeting is sophomore guard/forward Cole McCormick, who scored four points, grabbed one rebound and had two steals in that matchup.

For the Bears, two players are averaging double figures in scoring. Redshirt freshman guard Ty Robinson is averaging 12.5 points per game, while sophomore Cole McCormick is at 10.5 points per contest.

Senior guard Rashad Bolden leads the team in rebounds at five per game. As a team, the Bears are shooting 43 percent from the floor, 33 percent from three-point range and 71 percent at the free-throw line.

Arkansas comes into the game fresh off a loss at Michigan State and is averaging 87.5 points per game. Guard Darius Acuff Jr. is scoring 19 points per game and guard Meleek Thomas adds 18.5 points per contest.

Forward/center Nick Pringle leads his team in rebounds with 7.5 per game and in blocks with 1.5 per game.

The Razorbacks are shooting 45 percent from the floor, 30 percent from three-point range and 77 percent at the line.

The Bears will need to rely on their back-court scoring to keep up with Arkansas’ high-tempo pace. Robinson and McCormick must continue to produce offensively while Bolden works to stabilize the rebounding battle.

On the defensive end, limiting Acuff and Thomas will be critical for UCA. Arkansas’ strength inside, anchored by Pringle’s rebounding and rim protection, presents a challenge for the Bears’ front line.

Both teams are still learning their identities early in the season. For UCA, facing an SEC opponent offers a chance to build experience and confidence.

For Arkansas, the matchup represents an opportunity to return to winning form after a challenging road loss.

The Bears’ focus on shot selection, transition defense and limiting second-chance points will be key factors in keeping the game close.

Head coach John Shulman’s Bears are still developing chemistry with a mix of returning players and newcomers, while Arkansas’ roster features several new contributors under coach John Calipari.

The game is one of UCA’s toughest non-conference challenges of the season, serving as an early barometer for where the team stands.

Fans can watch the game live on the SEC+ network or listen to the radio broadcasts on The Bear 91.3 and Jack 92.7.

Live stats are also available through the UCA athletics website. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in Fayetteville.

UCA enters this contest seeking its first-ever win against Arkansas. The Razorbacks aim to protect home court and maintain their edge in scoring and rebounding.

For the Bears, the matchup offers a valuable measuring stick before returning to conference play.

Key takeaways:

• UCA’s leading scorers are Ty Robinson (12.5 PPG) and Cole McCormick (10.5 PPG) heading into the game.
• Arkansas is averaging 87.5 points per game, led by Darius Acuff Jr. (19 PPG) and Meleek Thomas (18.5 PPG).
• The Razorbacks hold a 3-0 all-time lead in the series and have a rebounding advantage behind Nick Pringle (7.5 RPG).