First-year UAFS men's basketball coach
Justin Bailey couldn't say enough about the leadership shown by the Lions' only two returners – senior guard
Chris Crawford and junior guard
Seth Hawley – during preseason practice.
That leadership was evident Tuesday night during the Lions' exhibition game against NCAA Division I University of Central Arkansas.
Hawley scored a career-high 23 points and Crawford added 21 points as the Lions put a scare into the Bears in a 98-87 loss at the Farris Center in Conway.
It was the only preseason exhibition game for the Lions, who will begin the regular season on Nov. 9-10 when they compete in the Conference Challenge hosted by Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, Texas.
UAFS led by seven points four minutes into the game but trailed by 11 points (49-38) at halftime. The Lions fell behind by as many as 18 points with less than four minutes to play before rallying to cut the final margin to 11 points.
The Lions shot 48 percent from the field (33 of 69) – they were 13-of-35 shooting from 3-point range – and shot just 50 percent from the free-throw line (8 of 16). Hawley was 7-of-11 shooting from the field, including 6-of-10 shooting from 3-point range. Crawford was 9-of-18 shooting from the field, including 2-of-6 shooting from 3-point range.
Hawley and Crawford were two of four Lions to score in double-figures. Freshman forward
David Ward and junior guard
Tyler Williams had 15 and 13 points, respectively. Ward just missed a double-double, finishing with a team-high eight rebounds.
Central Arkansas shot 49 percent from the field (33 of 67) – it was 5-of-14 shooting from 3-point range – and shot 73 percent from the free-throw line (27 of 37). Guard Khaleem Bennett scored a team-high 18 points to lead six Bears in double-figures.
Forwards SK Shittu and Eddy Kayouloud each had a team-high seven rebounds.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 98, UAFS 87 (EXH.)
UAFS 38 49 -- 87
Central Arkansas 49 49 -- 98
UAFS: Hawley 23, Crawford 21, Ward 15, Williams 13, Bowie 7, Ekezie 6, Morgan 2
Central Arkansas: Bennett 18, Mondesir 14, Jones 13, Unruh 13, Kayouloud 11, Koval 10, Schmit 9, Chatham 6, Shittu 4
