Bears rally late to edge Jacksonville in ASUN home game

CONWAY, Ark. — Central Arkansas spent the first half Thursday night playing the kind of basketball that makes a home crowd politely sip its drink and check the score twice just to be sure.

The second half told a different story, and thankfully for the Bears, the math finally worked out.

Down 10 points at halftime, the Bears chipped away possession by possession and escaped with a 62-60 ASUN victory over Jacksonville at the Farris Center.

It wasn’t loud or dramatic, but it was steady, which counts plenty in January.

Jacksonville controlled the opening 20 minutes, taking a 35-25 lead into the break with efficient shooting and enough pace to keep UCA reacting instead of dictating.

The Dolphins looked comfortable, which is rarely good news for the home side.

UCA didn’t rush. Instead, the Bears leaned on defense, shortened possessions, and slowly trimmed the margin.

There was no single run that flipped the game, just a series of small corrections that kept Jacksonville from pulling away.

Luke Moore, quiet early, began finding rhythm. Camren Hunter started cleaning the glass. Cole McCormick picked his spots. The deficit shrank without panic, and the building leaned forward.

The Bears scored 37 points after halftime, outworking Jacksonville down the stretch and turning a sleepy night into something that at least resembled urgency.

“It was about staying together,” Moore said. “We didn’t play great early, but we kept defending and trusting each other.”

That trust paid off late.

Moore finished with a team-high 19 points, knocking down three 3-pointers and calmly hitting free throws when the margin got thin.

It wasn’t flashy, but it was timely, which mattered more.

Hunter added 13 points and eight rebounds, doing the kind of work that doesn’t always get noticed unless it’s missing.

McCormick chipped in 12 points and five rebounds, giving the Bears just enough balance to keep the offense from stalling.

Jacksonville didn’t fade. The Dolphins answered nearly every push, staying within a possession and forcing UCA to execute rather than cruise.

Jason Thirdkill Jr. provided energy inside, and Jacksonville kept the pressure on until the final horn.

Bears close late after second-half response

That pressure peaked in the final minute.

With the Bears clinging to a slim lead, Moore stepped to the line and delivered, pushing UCA ahead by two and forcing Jacksonville to find one last answer.

The final look didn’t fall.

For the Bears, the win moved them to 8-10 overall and 3-2 in ASUN play, a mark that doesn’t demand attention but does keep them squarely involved in the conference race.

In a league where home wins are currency, this one mattered.

Coach John Shulman liked the response more than the result. His team didn’t unravel when shots weren’t falling early, and it didn’t force offense late.

“We stayed locked in,” Shulman said. “We kept defending and trusted the process.”

The Bears won without overwhelming shooting numbers or highlight runs. Instead, they relied on patience, free throws, and enough defensive stops to survive the final minutes.

That formula may not grab headlines, but it travels well in conference play.

The win also reinforced something about this UCA group: they aren’t built to overwhelm teams. They’re built to hang around and make the last few possessions uncomfortable.

Next up is another home game, this one against North Florida. If Thursday was any indication, the Bears won’t mind making things interesting again.

Key takeaways

The Bears outscored Jacksonville 37-25 after halftime to erase a 10-point deficit.

Luke Moore scored 19 and delivered late free throws to seal the win.

Hunter and McCormick provided steady scoring and rebounding support.