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Season opener from the opponent's perspective
Posted on: August 10, 2018 at 08:47:25 CT
FIJItiger MU
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http://www.thecabin.net/sports/20180809/bears-to-face-sec-foe-in-season-opener
A year ago, the University of Central Arkansas Bears opened the basketball season by taking No. 18 UCLA to overtime before losing at historic Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles.
The Bears will open the 2018-19 season with another big name, this time from the Southeastern Conference. UCA will face the Missouri Tigers on Nov. 6 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Missouri.
“The thing we try to do, if we can, is give our guys experiences at the different Power 5 conferences,” fifth-year coach Russ Pennell said. “Last year, the theme was obviously kind of Pac-12, this year it’s a little more Midwest, with some ACC mixed in there. Obviously, we have to play these games to help the school, but it also helps us. It helps us in recruiting, I think it helps me in coaching."
Beginning with the opener against Missouri, which won 20 games and made the NCAA Tournament last season under coach Cuonzo Martin, including a 69-60 win over Kentucky.
“Cuonzo kind of put them back on solid ground last year,” Pennell said. “They lost the (Michael) Porter kid and they lost a couple of guys but they are still going to be good. They got some good recruits. That will be a fun opener for us, getting to play someone that the people in Arkansas are familiar with. I think that’s a big thing for us.”
A year ago, the University of Central Arkansas Bears opened the basketball season by taking No. 18 UCLA to overtime before losing at historic Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles.
The Bears will open the 2018-19 season with another big name, this time from the Southeastern Conference. UCA will face the Missouri Tigers on Nov. 6 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Missouri.
“The thing we try to do, if we can, is give our guys experiences at the different Power 5 conferences,” fifth-year coach Russ Pennell said. “Last year, the theme was obviously kind of Pac-12, this year it’s a little more Midwest, with some ACC mixed in there. Obviously, we have to play these games to help the school, but it also helps us. It helps us in recruiting, I think it helps me in coaching."
Beginning with the opener against Missouri, which won 20 games and made the NCAA Tournament last season under coach Cuonzo Martin, including a 69-60 win over Kentucky.
“Cuonzo kind of put them back on solid ground last year,” Pennell said. “They lost the (Michael) Porter kid and they lost a couple of guys but they are still going to be good. They got some good recruits. That will be a fun opener for us, getting to play someone that the people in Arkansas are familiar with. I think that’s a big thing for us.”
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Season opener from the opponent's perspective - FIJItiger MU - 8/10 08:47:25