CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas men’s basketball team was picked fifth in the East Division in both of the preseason Southland Conference polls released during a media day teleconference on Wednesday.
UCA, under the direction of Coach Corliss Williamson, was fifth in the coaches’ poll and tied for fifth with Nicholls State in the sports information director’s poll. Northwestern State was picked first in the coaches’ poll, while McNeese State was atop the SID poll.
UTSA was the choice in both polls to win the West Division.
“We’re very excited to be a part of the Southland Conference again,’ said Williamson. “It’s our second time around and I feel like we learned a lot the first year. We’re in a pretty competitive conference and we’re looking forward to having a better showing this season.
“This is a good league. We have some good players here. When you sit back and think about some of these guys on the first team... these are some big-time players. You have to be able to match their intensity of the court. And the coaches in this league do a great job of preparing for each game.
“For us as a staff, it’s a challenge to be able to compete with the different schools in our conference. We learned a lot last season, and hopefully some of the things we learned we can apply this year and have a more successful season in conference play.’
The Bears return five players from last year’s 5-24 team, two redshirts who practiced with the team and eight newcomers.
“We’ve added some more length this year, we’re longer, more athletic,’ said Williamson. “We have some guys who are a little more skilled than what we had in the past. The team worked really hard last year, but these are the type of guys that are capable of playing the type of system we want to implement here.
“So I think we have the personnel now to be a little more effective at what we were trying to accomplish last season.’
Before the Southland Conference season rolls around in January, UCA has a tough opening two months, with games at Stanford, Sacramento State, UNLV, Drake and Iowa. They open on Nov. 11 at Stanford, with the first home game set for Nov. 16 against Philander Smith.
“I think it’s an opportunity for our young men to measure themselves up against some of the best,’ said Williamson. “It gives us an opportunity as a coaching staff to see where we are, what we need to work on.
“That’s what we try to get out of these games, the fact you’re playing against some top-level schools, and you’re going to have to go in and play hard and try to figure out a way to win a game. It stretches us as coaches, it stretches us a players, mentally and physically on the court, as far as what we can
and can’t do.
“The funny thing about it was, last year playing some of these big schools, it seemed like our guys got up to play these bigger schools more than they did when they got in conference play. We want to see if we can bring that same intensity throughout the season and be more consistent about playing at that level.’
Williamson said the biggest key in conference play is to win at home.
“To me, the No. 1 thing we have to do is defend our home court,’ said the former NBA star. “You have to take pride in winning at home, and that’s something we’ve preached from Day 1 here. Taking pride in how we approach the game and approach practice. When we step out on our court, we have to know we’re here for business, and this is our home and we have to protect it.
“In my mind, for us to have a successful season, we have to have a winning record at home. I think if you’re able to establish the type of attitude where, this is my home and no one is coming in here and running over us, then you can take that attitude on the road and possibly win a few games there. But it all starts at home and how we take care of business here.’
The Bears open the season on Friday, Nov. 11 against Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif. Their first home game at the Farris Center is set for Wednesday, Nov. 16 against Philander Smith.
