After being down the majority of the game, the Bears’ second-half momentum helped them secure the win against Kennesaw State Owls, 92-87.

The Bears (8-15, ASUN 4-3) trailed by as much as 12 with five minutes and 24 seconds remaining in the first half after Kennesaw State sophomore guard Simeon Cottle made a layup to put the Owls (13-8, ASUN 4-3) up 34-22, forcing the Bears to call a timeout.

After the timeout, the Bears went on a 16-9 run as freshman forward Tucker Anderson scored five out of the 16 points as the Bears trailed at half 43-38, Owls ahead.

Going into the second half, the Bears grabbed their first lead of the game with nine minutes and 27 seconds remaining as freshman guard Javion Guy-King made a layup to put UCA up 63-62.

After the Guy-King layup, the Bears and Owls exchanged points with seven lead changes and one tie until senior guard Terrell Burden made a layup to put the Owls up 79-78, forcing UCA to call a timeout with one minute and 33 seconds remaining.

Coming out of the timeout, graduate student guard Daniel Sofield hit a 3-pointer to put the Bears up 81-79 until Burden hit two free throws to tie the game.

Following the free throws from the Owls, Guy-King made a layup that put the Bears

back up 83-81. With the next possession in the Owls’ hands, junior forward Jamel King missed a 3 and fouled Guy-King, who went on to make two free throws to seal the win for UCA.

Five UCA players finished with 12 or more points. Anderson at 19 points, Sofield at 18 points, junior guard/forward Elias Cato at 12 points, senior guard Masai Olowokere at 17 points and Guy-King at 15 points.

Anderson also shot 7-10 from the free-throw line.

“I think it’s huge [the win],” Anderson said.

Anderson is leading the team in points per game with 14.6 as a freshman.

“You know, it’s just confidence like from teammates, from coaches and everything in practice,” Anderson said. “They gave me the confidence to be able to shoot those shots.”

Boone said, “He has really inserted a lot of confidence into our team, and that has seemed to spread amongst all of the guys.”

Boone said no adjustments were made at halftime after being down 43-38 at the half.

“It wasn’t much of an adjustment,” Boone said. “It was just pointing out what they were doing and saying we have to communicate better on the switches we were making.”

“We have to continue to work on our defense. At times it has been good, at times not so good. So we have to continue being consistent,” Boone said.

The Bears will stay in Conway to play the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (9-13, ASUN 3-4) at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 1 at the Farris Center.