Central Arkansas lost to Eastern Kentucky 79-75 in an overtime game at Baptist Health Arena on Saturday night. This was the Bears’ second straight overtime defeat on the road, bringing their record to 7-10 overall and 2-2 in ASUN play. Eastern Kentucky improved to 6-11 and also stands at 2-2 in conference games.
The Bears started strong, taking a 12-0 lead with help from Camren Hunter, who made back-to-back three-pointers, and Luke Moore, who added a layup. Eastern Kentucky closed the gap later in the first half, with Austin Ball hitting a three-pointer at the 6:11 mark to bring the score to 25-26. The teams traded leads until Juan Cranford Jr.’s three-pointer put Eastern Kentucky ahead late in the half. Yvens Paul finished with a dunk to give the Colonels a 40-37 halftime advantage.
The second half saw several lead changes and ties as both teams competed closely. Ty Robinson scored a layup early in the half for Central Arkansas, giving them a brief lead. With just over five minutes left, Moore’s three-pointer brought Central Arkansas within two points of Eastern Kentucky’s lead. In the final seconds of regulation, Hunter hit a jumper that tied the game at 69 and sent it into overtime.
In overtime, Hunter scored three consecutive jumpers for Central Arkansas to put them up by four points at 75-71. However, Ball responded with another three-pointer for Eastern Kentucky before Turner Buttry made one more from beyond the arc with less than a minute remaining, putting his team ahead by two points. Cranford then secured victory for Eastern Kentucky by making two free throws.
After the game, individual performances included Camren Hunter leading Central Arkansas with 25 points and four assists; Ty Robinson contributing nine points along with ten rebounds and four steals; and Luke Moore adding seventeen points—including three shots from beyond the arc—and three steals.
Central Arkansas will return home for its next contest against Jacksonville University on Thursday, January 15th at Farris Center in Conway.
