Final Stats NIcholls-UCA Box Score

Conway, Ark. – Down 15 points at the break, the Colonels couldn't stop the run-and-gun offense of the Central Arkansas Bears in the second half, as the Bears led by as many as 33 in defeating Nicholls 99-76 Wednesday night in the Farris Center.

Four players scored in double-figures for the Colonels (4-13, 0-5 SLC), led by a career-high 19 from Sam McBeath. Shane Rillieux tied his career-best with 16, while Linden Smith-Hyde poured in a new career mark of 15 off of the bench.

The Bears (7-9, 2-2) were paced by five players in double-figures, as Robert Crawford and LaQuentin Miles combined for 36 points, as each player scored a game-high 19 for UCA.

A buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Shane Rillieux to end the first half sent the Colonels to the locker room down 15, 53-38. It was the third of the half for the Colonels, ending the period on a positive note.

The Bears attacked the Colonels from the tip, utilizing their size to put the Colonels in a big hole early. Led by Crawford's 16 points in the period, UCA hit 55-percent of its shots, dropping in eight 3-pointers on only 13 attempts.

Nicholls got a balanced attack from starters McBeath, Rillieux, and Smith combining for 26 points, while getting nine points from Smith-Hyde who came in for Thomas who exited the game two minutes in and never returned.

UCA outscored the Colonels 20-7 to start the second half to put the Colonels in an even bigger hole, and finished hitting 41 shots on the night for a 52-percent clip. Although the Colonels were able to sink seven 3-pointers on the night, the Bears went 10-for-21 from beyond the arc, hitting eight in the first half.

Nicholls continued to drive to the basket for the entire length of the game, and went to the line 25 times, knocking down 15. The Colonels also scored 20 points off of 12 UCA turnovers and 15 points off of second-chance points, while the Bears scored 50 points in the paint and got 41 points from the bench.

The Colonels return to action Saturday evening in Hammond to take on the Southeastern Lions.