Stephen F. Austin
16-4, 5-2SLC
Central Arkansas
11-11, 5-4SLC
SFA Unable to Withstand UCA's Long-Range Barrage, Falls 100-92 to Bears
1/24/2018 10:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Bogues drops in career-high 31, but 'Jacks have no answer for Bears' 16 three-pointers
CONWAY, Ark. - Nothing can last forever, and unfortunately Wednesday night marked the end of the Stephen F. Austin men's basketball team's all-time dominance over Central Arkansas.
Although junior Shannon Bogues delivered a career-high 31 points on 11-of-22 shooting, the 'Jacks (16-4, 5-2 Southland) simply had no answer for a Central Arkansas (11-11, 5-4 Southland) team that shot 59.3-percent (16-of-27) from three point range and received a game-high 43 points from Jordan Howard in SFA's 100-92 setback inside the Farris Center.
It was SFA's first loss to Central Arkansas (now 1-16 against the 'Jacks) who dominated the majority of the game thanks to their squadron of long-range bombers. Howard drilled six three-pointers but, surprisingly, the most dangerous downtown assassin for the Bears was Thatch Unruh who dropped in 28 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Unruh connected on seven three-pointers - one more than the 'Jacks had as a team.
TJ Holyfield added 15 points and finished one rebound shy of a double-double for the 'Jacks. The junior out of Albuquerque, N.M., also became the newest member of SFA's 500-rebound club in the loss after snaring the first of his nine boards. Kevon Harris put in 14 and Ty Charles finished with 10 in a loss than snapped the 'Jacks' five-game winning streak.
The only two words required to paint a sufficient picture of the first half were as follows: Jordan Howard. The Bears' high-scoring senior wasted little time in getting his long-distance stroke going, helping the hosts control the majority of the opening frame in the process. By watching a pair of free throws go down in the game's opening 90 seconds, that gave Howard the green light to let it fly from downtown.
Outside of the final seven seconds of the half, the 'Jacks never owned a lead as Howard drilled all five of his first-half three-pointers in the first 8:15 of the half. That long-distance barrage helped the Bears grab a 22-10 lead over the 'Jacks and made the visitors play catch-up for the remainder of the frame.
Fortunately, the 'Jacks were up to the challenge and closed the first half by going on a 14-2 run through the final 4:03 of the period. SFA captured its lead by going to work down low, getting all but four points inside the painted area through the scoring surge.
Aaron Augustin capped the scoring spree by swirling in a corner three with seven seconds remaining in the half that gave the 'Jacks a 44-43 advantage at the halftime break. Mathieu Kamba, who dropped in 15 for the Bears, netted the first nine points of the second half for Central Arkansas and his three-pointer with 16:46 to go broke a 49-49 deadlock and gave the hosts the lead for good.
It was Unruh who was the Bears' biggest offensive spark in the second half as he scored 13-straight points for Central Arkansas to push its lead to 83-67 with 7:57 to go.
Bogues countered with everything he had for the 'Jacks, however, to make sure SFA always stood a chance. Twenty of his career-high 31 points came in the final 20 minutes of action and Holyfield teamed with him to lead SFA on a 17-5 run that cut the Bears' once-sizable lead down to four, 88-84, with 3:33 to go.
Central Arkansas, however, used a well-time run at the free throw line to close things out. In the game's final 2:18, the Bears went 8-of-12 from the stripe to give them the distance they need.
By himself, Howard put in 15 free throws on 20 attempts for the Bears who were 24-of-37 (64.9-percent) from the line. Although the 'Jacks outscored Central Arkansas by 32 (52-20) in the paint, the Bears' sizzling touch from three-point land was the difference.
Now that two of their longest Southland Conference road trips of the season are in the books, the 'Jacks return to William R. Johnson Coliseum for two straight games. That stretch begins Saturday when SFA matches up with longtime Piney Woods rival Sam Houston State for the 200th time in program history. Tip-off is slated for 6:00 p.m.
-SFA-
