Feb 26th, 2007 05:50AM
by:

By STEVE EAST
UCA SID

THIBODAUX, La. — The University of Central Arkansas Bears found an outside shooting touch and at the same time figured out a way to win a close game Saturday night, knocking off the red-hot Nicholls State Colonels 70-66 at Stopher Gym.

The Bears (9-20, 3-12), one of the worst perimeter shooting teams in the Southland Conference, made their living behind the 3-point line Saturday. UCA connected on a season-high 11 3-pointers, with freshman Marcus Pillow hitting 5 of 10. The
Colonels, who had won four of their past five games, were only 8 of 32 (25 percent) from 3-point range, after making a season-high 14 in their last game.

“I told the guys I thought they deserved this game today," said UCA head coach Rand Chappell, “not only for their effort today but really for their effort and hard work over the last three or four weeks. The guys have been consistent about coming in every day and preparing and trying to do the right thing. And if you do the right things enough, it pays off for you. It was a nice win for us."

The Bears opened with their best shooting half of the season, hitting seven 3-pointers in the opening 20 minutes. They jumped out to a 21-9 lead on the Colonels in the first seven minutes, getting two 3-pointers each from junior Nate Bowie and the freshman Pillow.

Nicholls scored six straight points and got back to within 21-15, but Pillow came back with back-to-back 3's from the right corner to give the Bears a 33-22 lead with 5:30 left in the half. The Colonels scored six consecutive points again but senior Fred Campbell answered with yet another 3 for the Bears, good for a 36-28 lead with two minutes remaining.

Ryan Bathie scored inside for Nicholls State but the Bears struck the final blow when Bowie fed sophomore Mitch Rueter for a fastbreak layup that just beat the final buzzer, giving UCA a 38-30 halftime lead.
       
The Bears were 7 of 12 (58.3 percent) from beyond the arc in the first half. The Colonels were only 2 of 15 on 3-point attempts.

“We had been waiting for that (kind of shooting) to happen," Chappell said. “We were a little better the other night at Southeastern, where we made a few. When you shoot it good, it makes everything a little bit better. They like to play zone defense and Marcus really shot them out of that in the first half."

The teams came out of the locker room and combined to make eight 3-pointers in the first eight minutes of the second half. Bowie made two more for UCA and Pillow and Rueter added one each as the Bears held on to a 54-46 lead with 11:50 remaining.

The Colonels cut it to three points on Bathie’s 3-pointer with 1:05 remaining. Bowie missed a 3-point attempt for UCA but NSU’s Blaszczynski did the same on the Colonels’ end. Gil Verner rebounded the miss but was called for traveling.

Pillow was fouled and made both free throws for a 68-63 lead with 29 seconds to play. NSU missed again and Rueter rebounded for UCA and was fouled with 20.7 left. Rueter missed the front end of the one-and-one but NSU misfired again on the ensuing possession.
       
UCA’s Campbell went to the line with 9.8 left and sealed it with a pair of free throws. Justin Payne made a three for Nicholls to make it 70-66 but the Bears held on for the win.

Nevels was the go-to guy in the second half and finished with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. Pillow followed with 17 points, while Bowie chipped in 14 and Campbell 10.

“Down the stretch when we were trying to keep the lead pushed out there, he was guy that made quite a few big plays," Chappell said of Nevels. “Several times we held the ball and spread them out and then got it to him late in the shot clock and he finished it. Those are always back breakers.’

Gray finished with 19 points for the Colonels, while Blaszczynski added 18 and Bathie 14.

The Bears finish their first NCAA Division I season at home next Saturday against Northwestern State.