Central Arkansas secured a 90-81 win over Eastern Kentucky at the Farris Center on Saturday, marking their fifth straight victory. This is the first time since the 2011-2012 season that the Bears have achieved such a streak.
The Bears improved their record to 12-10 overall and 7-2 in ASUN play, while Eastern Kentucky fell to 7-16 and 3-7 in conference games. Central Arkansas made use of turnovers, turning them into 13 points. The team also recorded nine steals and had 22 assists during the game.
Malchiah Marable opened scoring for Central Arkansas with an early layup. Despite an early timeout by Eastern Kentucky, turnovers remained an issue for the Colonels, who committed 11 in the first half compared to three by Central Arkansas. Camren Hunter contributed several baskets as part of his recent scoring run, which includes two consecutive games with more than 30 points and six out of his last eight games with at least 20 points.
Ty Robinson and Luke Moore added defensive pressure for Central Arkansas, each recording multiple steals. Eastern Kentucky’s Tyler Jackson helped keep his team close with two three-pointers, but Luke Moore ended the first half with a buzzer-beating jumper to give Central Arkansas a 40-27 lead at halftime.
In the second half, Tyler Jackson hit back-to-back three-pointers for Eastern Kentucky to narrow the gap. However, Central Arkansas responded with a series of three-pointers from Camren Hunter and Javion Guy-King. By midway through the second half, they had extended their lead to double digits. MJ Williams provided offense for Eastern Kentucky late in the game, but balanced scoring from Central Arkansas—including a dunk by Cole McCormick—helped secure the win.
Camren Hunter led all scorers with 32 points on 13 field goals and added two blocks. Javion Guy-King finished with 11 points and set a career high with nine defensive rebounds among his total nine boards. Ty Robinson scored 13 points along with three steals and three assists, while Luke Moore contributed 12 points—making six free throws—and seven assists.
Central Arkansas will next host North Alabama on Wednesday, February 4 at the Farris Center at 6:30 p.m.
