East Texas A&M uses late surge to hand UCA 75–68 loss on road

Central Arkansas left Commerce on Sunday night with a 75–68 loss after East Texas A&M turned a tight game into a late advantage.

UCA played one of its sharper first halves of the season, controlling tempo and knocking down key shots. But the second half swung hard the other way, and the Lions closed with a steady scoring stretch.

UCA struck early when Ty Robinson buried a three with 17:34 remaining in the opening half. The Bears moved well without the ball, creating lanes at the rim.

Cole McCormick added to the momentum with a dunk that extended the lead and gave the Bears a lift.

East Texas A&M kept hanging around with short runs, but the Bears seemed comfortable each time the Lions gained ground.

Even after Ronnie Harrison hit a late three, UCA answered. Luke Moore connected on a buzzer-beating three to take a 35–32 lead into halftime and send the bench into a small celebration.

The Bears defended well early, forcing rushed shots and denying drives. Turnovers stayed down, which made the offense smoother than in past road games.

With better spacing, UCA looked like a group building confidence. By halftime, the Bears had handled pressure and kept the Lions from finding rhythm.

The game turned quickly after the break. East Texas A&M tied the score at 35–35 on a Damian Garcia three in the opening minute. That shot shifted the mood inside The Field House.

The Lions sped up the pace, attacked loose balls, and found better looks at the perimeter. From there, UCA worked uphill.

Second-half momentum changes direction

Even with the Bears getting solid inside touches, they couldn’t match the Lions’ timely baskets. UCA traded points but didn’t get stops at the right times.

Late in the half, Gianni Hunt took control for ETAMU. He scored a layup, then hit a three that widened the margin. In the final seconds, Hunt sank free throws to secure the game.

UCA still shot 48.3 percent from the field and turned the ball over only 12 times, but the Bears went just 23.8 percent from three and 33.3 percent at the foul line.

East Texas A&M shot 76 percent at the stripe and out-rebounded UCA 38–33, gaining extra possessions that proved costly.

Camren Hunter led the Bears with 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting. His drives gave UCA needed stability, and he added two steals. Robinson followed with 16 points and two steals, showing control in transition.

Moore and McCormick each scored 11, with Moore adding five assists and McCormick finishing 5-of-6 from the floor.

Even with those numbers, UCA lacked the steady shooting stretch that might have stopped the Lions’ push.

The Bears posted strong stretches but couldn’t piece them together across the full second half.

Offense solid but gaps remain

The Bears found productive interior shots but couldn’t stretch the floor with consistent perimeter makes.

Free throws became another issue, keeping UCA from staying even after ETAMU’s late scoring.

While the Bears shared the ball and moved well, the Lions’ rhythm from deep created separation that UCA never erased.

Defensively, UCA competed but couldn’t slow the Lions’ final bursts.

East Texas A&M created mismatches and pushed the pace, using quick decisions and better spacing to find open shooters. Hunt’s final-minute play summed up the difference.

Bears head to Nashville next

The Bears dropped to 4–6 overall and remain 0–0 in ASUN play. UCA now prepares for a road matchup at Vanderbilt on Dec. 13 in Nashville.

The game gives the Bears another chance to improve late-game execution and sharpen scoring balance.

UCA leaves Commerce with solid moments to build on, but the Bears still need stronger closing stretches to turn road performances into road wins.

Against the Lions, it was the final minutes that swung the outcome and left UCA searching for another step forward.

Key takeaways

• UCA led 35–32 at halftime but couldn’t match East Texas A&M’s second-half surge.

• Shooting inside was strong, but the Bears struggled from three and at the free-throw line.

• Hunter, Robinson, Moore and McCormick provided steady scoring, though ETAMU closed better.