Jones, Trojans look to rematch with UCA
CONWAY — UALR sophomore guard Andre Jones continues to lead to Trojans as the team prepares for tonight’s matchup at Central Arkansas.
The Malvern native averages 13.4 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game with 16 assists on the season. Jones is shooting 44.1 percent from the field and is 13 of 20 from the free throw line for 65 percent efficiency.
Tonight’s 7 p.m. match at the Farris Center marks the start of a tough stretch for the 2-6 Trojans as they wrap up their non-conference schedule, playing four of their next five matches on the road. Ray Tucker and Kevin Crass will be calling the game on The Point 94.1 FM.
UALR has had a week to recover from last Saturday’s 74-66 two overtime loss to Oral Roberts after defeating UCA 71-65 at the Jack Stephens Center on Nov. 29. Jaizec Lottie and Oliver Black are averaging 27.1 points per game, with Lottie putting up 25 assists in eight games. Black leads the team in rebounding with 7.9 per game and is 18 of 34 from the field for 52.9 percent.
UCA (5-5) comes into tonight’s game off a 96-69 win over California Wednesday night where it used a 20-point halftime lead to secure the win in Berkeley, Calif. Senior guard Jordan Howard paced the Bears with 26 points while Mathieu Kamba added 23. Howard is averaging 23.8 points per game with a 46.5 percent field goal percentage and 42.7 percent from distance with 36 assists in 10 starts. Kamba leads the Bears in rebounding with 5.4 per game and 25.6 points per game.
Jones is coming off his two best games for the Trojans, opening last week with a career-best 24 points in the come-from-behind win over UCA before putting up a new career-best with 25 in the double-overtime loss to Oral Roberts. Jones’ performance was the first time for a Trojan to score 24 or more in back-to-back games since Brandon Freeman’s 27-point performances on Dec. 29, 2004, and Jan. 2, 2005.
Graves to play in FCS Bowl
CONWAY — UCA linebacker James Graves has been picked to play in today’s FCS Bowl.
The FCS Bowl, an annual postseason college football all-star game, will be played at noon Saturday at Daytona Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, Fla. The FCS Bowl features the best NCAA FCS and HBCU college seniors and is heavily scouted by the NFL and CFL. Last year saw 14 NFL teams, five CFL teams and over 30 scouts present. All 32 NFL teams receive and review the FCS Bowl game and NFL Films distributes the film to all NFL teams.
Graves, who transferred to UCA from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, was a two-year starter at linebacker for the Bears. The senior finished his two-year career at UCA with 119 tackles, including 9.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
Graves was third in tackles for the Bears this season with 70 tackles as UCA won the Southland Conference title with a 9-0 record before finishing 10-2 overall. Graves is a leader in the classroom with a 3.62 GPA in computer science, and he was one of three UCA players named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team.
The Bears made their second consecutive trip to the second round of the FCS Playoffs, losing 21-15 to New Hampshire on Dec. 2.
Warren named All-Freshman
ATLANTA — Arkansas receiver and return specialist De’Vion Warren was named the the SEC All-Freshman Team, released Thursday.
The Monroe, La., native finished the season with an average of 26.38 yards per kickoff return to rank second in the SEC. He returned
29 kicks for 765 yards, including a 100-yard return for a touchdown against Auburn on Oct.
21, which is the Razorbacks’ longest kickoff return for a score since Felix Jones’ 100-yard return against Ole Miss in 2006. His 765 kickoff return yards rank third for a single season at Arkansas
Arkansas has had at least one player on the SEC All-Freshman team for 14 straight years.