The University of Central Arkansas Bears and Sugar Bears aren’t afraid of anyone, and a quick look at their 2017-18 basketball schedules proves that.
UCA’s teams will play some of the top programs in the nation in the upcoming season, including three former NCAA national champions on the women’s side and three Sweet 16 teams from a year ago on the men’s schedule.
As they break in eight new players, the Sugar Bears will begin preparation to repeat as Southland Conference champions and go for their third straight Southland tournament title with a challenging non-conference slate that features some of the nation’s elite programs – with Baylor, Tennessee and Texas A&M all looming in the season’s first month.
“Our schedule is much more challenging this year – and that’s good for our program,” said 2017 Southland Conference Coach of the Year Sandra Rushing, entering her sixth season at Central Arkansas. “It’s a great experience for our players, to go against competition of that caliber and see what it looks like at the highest level – the type of teams we’re going to see in the NCAA Tournament. It shows you where you need to be as a player, and helps us see where we need to be as a program.”
“When you’re talking about programs like that, obviously, it’s a tremendous challenge, but it’s also a great opportunity and good experience for our players, and we’re excited for our non-conference schedule as we prepare for conference and start trying to figure it all out, especially with so many new players.
“Playing Baylor, Tennessee, A&M – it’s exciting for our players, but also for me as a coach. It’s challenging, looking down at the other end of the floor and there’s a legendary coach who has won national titles. I’ve been very fortunate during my career and got to go up against some really good coaches from Pat Head Summitt on down. To look down and see Kim Mulkey, Gary Blair, Holly Warlick and coaches like that, it’s something you look forward to. Just like players want to play the best teams, coaches want to coach against the best, and I’ll certainly get a chance to do that this season.”
Coach Russ Pennell’s Bears open the season against another set of Bears, the Baylor Bears (Big 12) in Waco, Texas, then travel to the west coast for the first of three visits encompassing four games. The Bears will take on the UCLA Bruins at storied Pauley Pavilion on Dec. 15. Baylor finished 27-8 last season and won two games in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins were even better, going 31-5 and winning twice in the NCAAs before losing to Kentucky. At home, those teams combined to go 32-3 a year ago.
“We’ll always play an aggressive non-conference schedule,” said Pennell, entering his fourth season at UCA. “And while it’s difficult, our guys look forward to it. I think it tests us and it allows us to play against some of the nation’s best, and that’s what our team wants to do. We want to compete against those type of teams and get ourselves ready for the Southland Conference race. And it’s huge in recruiting. I think the guys we have here now, that was a big selling point, to be able to play at places like Hinkle Fieldhouse (Butler), Gallagher-Iba Arena (Oklahoma State), Pauley Pavilion (UCLA).”
The Bears played three NCAA Sweet 16 teams last season (Butler, Michigan, Wisconsin), and will face three more this season.
“For our guys to be able to go practice and play in the building that John Wooden coached in,” said Pennell, who coached there several times while on staffs in the Pac-12. “You think of all the legendary players who have played in that building, not only for UCLA but against UCLA. It’s quite a storied place, and I think our guys will definitely enjoy that.”