Wildcats host Bears in key Southland matchup

Central Arkansas at ACU

When: Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Where: Moody Coliseum (Abilene, Texas)
Records: UCA 10-10, 5-2; ACU 16-4, 5-2
Series: ACU lead 4-3
Last Game: UCA 74, ACU 72 (Feb. 24, 2018 / Abilene, Texas)
Streak: UCA, w1
Last ACU win: ACU 80, UCA 63 (Jan. 20, 2018 / Conway, Arkansas)
Last UNO win: UCA 74, ACU 72 (Feb. 24, 2018 / Abilene, Texas)
Radio: 98.1 FM (98theticket.com)
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast

ABILENE – The ACU Wildcats are back in action Saturday afternoon when they host Central Arkansas in a key game for both teams as the first half of action in the Southland Conference winds to a close.

The game is set for a 3:32 p.m. tipoff and can be seen on ESPN+ and heard on 98.1 FM (98theticket.com).

The Wildcats are 16-4 overall and 5-2 in the league, while the Bears enter Moody Coliseum at 10-10 and 5-2. ACU is coming off Wednesday night's disheartening 61-60 loss at Stephen F. Austin that saw the Lumberjacks score eight points in the final 26 seconds of the game to knock off the Wildcats, who led throughout most of the contest. The Wildcats and Bears are tied for second in the league at 5-2, 1 1/2 games behind league-leading Sam Houston State, which is 6-0 in the league and hosts Lamar (9-10, 2-4) Saturday evening.

ACU's leading scorer, Jalone Friday, was held scoreless for the first time in 76 career games. His previous low point total was two points, which he did twice in 2016-17 as a redshirt freshman, and both times it came against Sam Houston State (Feb. 4, 2017, in Abilene, and Feb. 25, 2017, in Huntsville). ACU's second-leading scorer, Jaren Lewis, scored just six second-half points as the Lumberjacks ran a double-team or more at each of those big men nearly every time they touched the ball near the basket.

Senior forward Hayden Farquhar scored a career-high 19 points off the bench as he went 8 for 9 from the field (3 for 4 from 3-point range) before being forced out of the game midway through the second half when he landed hard after a drive by SFA guard Kevon Harris. His status for Saturday's game against UCA is up in the air.

Saturday's game will feature a battle of two of the top point guards in the league as ACU senior Jaylen Franklin and UCA sophomore Deandre Jones square off for the third time. Jones leads the Southland Conference in total assists (95) and assists per game (4.8) with Franklin checking in at No. 3 in the league in both categories (93 total assists and 4.7 per game).

The Wildcats are led by a trio of players averaging in double figures led by Friday's 13.1 ppg, followed by Lewis at 12.9 ppg and junior guard Payten Ricks at 12.3 ppg. Ricks leads the league and is 10th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (46.7 percent) and he leads the league in total steals (41) and is second in steals per game (2.05).

ACU ranks in the top 25 in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (sixth at 41.0 percent), turnover margin (12th at plus-4.3), steals per game (17th at 8.8), field goal percentage (23rd at 48.7 percent), and scoring defense (24th at 63.8 ppg).

The Wildcats have responded well to each of their first three losses this season, winning two straight after the first loss (at Pepperdine on Dec. 1), three straight after the second loss (at Texas Tech on Dec. 15) and four straight after the third loss (at Sam Houston State on Jan. 5). The Wildcats are 9-0 at home this season and 18-6 over the last two seasons at Moody.

The Bears have four players averaging in double figures, led by 12.4 ppg from both Jones and Hayden Koval. Eddy Kayouloud is averaging 10.7 ppg and Thatch Unruh is averaging 10.4 ppg.

The halftime festivities for the men's game include Student-Athlete Academic Recognition for each student-athlete who posted a 3.0 or better grade point average in the fall semester, as well as the Diaper Derby. The derby is being sponsored by The Birthplace at Hendrick Medical Center and will feature babies racing a marked section of the court.

The coaching staff at ACU will also be participating in Suits and Sneakers as part of the National Association of Basketball Coaches' Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. Each coach will be wearing sneakers with his suit for the game as a show of support for the American Cancer Society and its programs to cure cancer.