The UCA Bears mauled the Champion Christian Tigers in a 36-point lead win during an exhibition game Tuesday, Nov. 1. The game was part of a series of food-drive games presented by UCA’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee where they collected spices and sauces in the Farris Center.

The final score was 115-79.

The starting five for the Bears were junior guard Collin Cooper, sophomore guard Camren Hunter, senior guard and forward Eddy Kayouloud, junior guard Masai Olowokere and sophomore guard and forward Ibbe Klintman. 

The top three scorers of the game were Hunter with 24 points, freshman forward and guard Cameron Wallace with 18 points and Olowokere with 16 points.

The Bears started off strong, as Olowokere made a layup scoring the first two points of the game, followed by a three-point shot making the score 5-0. 

The Bears continued to hold the lead through the first six minutes of the game. The crowd went wild after a dunk from Wallace, increasing the score by two points, 15-2. 

Wallace made his college debut in this game. 

“I was just thinking … I’m actually in college. I just got my first college bucket. It was mind-blowing,” Wallace said. 

By the midpoint of the first quarter, the Tigers started to catch up with the Bears, as Champion Christian junior guard Braylon Hawkins scored a three-point shot, making the score 17-14.

However, the Bears stayed with them as Kayouloud hit a jumper assisted by redshirt freshman guard VJ Reeves, making the score 19-14.

Despite its efforts, the Tigers could not keep up with the Bears. At the end of the first half, UCA held the lead 55-34. 

At the start of the second half, both teams subbed out players.

Hunter scored the first points of the second half, making the score 57-34.

The Tigers were still no match for the Bears, as UCA continued to hold a lead throughout the entire second half.

Wallace said, “We all came together pretty well. We all played our role, we figured out what we could’ve done better, now we are back to the drawing board.”

Hunter said the team worked together pretty well offensively.

“It was the defensive side that was not so good,” Hunter said. “Offensively, we put the ball in the hole really efficiently. However, we did not stop them at all. Can’t win when playing better teams like that,” Hunter said.

Ahead of their next game, Hunter said they have to get focused on small details. “We got away with little things last night that we won’t get away with at Wichita State,” Hunter said. “If we want to come out on top, we have to nip these tiny details and subbing issues we have really quick.”

The Bears’ next opponent is the Wichita State Shocks, which they will play on Nov. 7 in Wichita, Kansas.