CONWAY, Ark. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a staggering disparity in ball security, the Central Arkansas Bears capitalized on a torrent of Bellarmine turnovers to secure an 84-76 victory in an ASUN Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at the Farris Center.

The Bears, improving to 16-10 overall, forced 15 Bellarmine turnovers while committing only four of their own. That 11-turnover advantage directly fueled a dominant second-half performance, as Central Arkansas outscored Bellarmine 51-42 after the break to pull away. The Bears converted those Bellarmine miscues into 21 points, while the Knights managed just five points off turnovers.

Bellarmine, which fell to 11-14, shot a blistering 54% from the field and 51.7% from three-point range but simply could not overcome its carelessness with the basketball. The Knights’ offensive efficiency of 117.3 points per 100 possessions was rendered moot by Central Arkansas’s relentless defensive pressure, which generated 13 steals and led to numerous transition opportunities. The Bears finished with 14 fast-break points to Bellarmine’s two.

The game’s pivotal sequence arrived early in the second half, transforming a narrow contest into a comfortable Central Arkansas lead. Holding a slim 35-33 edge, the Bears unleashed a 9-0 run in just over 90 seconds, fueled entirely by Bellarmine errors. The surge began with Malchiah Marable drawing a foul and making two free throws after a Bellarmine turnover on the opening possession. On the ensuing inbounds play, Bellarmine committed another turnover, which Javion Guy-King stole and converted into a transition opportunity. Although that shot missed, the Bears maintained pressure, and a Luke Moore three-pointer moments later pushed the lead to 44-33, forcing a Bellarmine timeout with 15:38 remaining.

The Knights, who had led 34-33 at halftime behind efficient outside shooting, never recovered from that burst. They clawed back to within six points on several occasions but could not string together enough stops or clean possessions to seriously threaten the Bears down the stretch.

Central Arkansas showcased balanced scoring and superior ball movement, assisting on 13 of its 28 field goals. Camren Hunter and Ty Robinson led the way with 18 and 15 points, respectively, while Robinson added four assists. Guy-King filled the stat sheet with 12 points, five assists and three steals. Marable provided a major interior presence with nine points, three blocks and two steals.

Bellarmine was led by Kenyon Goodin’s 18 points and five assists. Jack Karasinski added 17 points, and Brian Waddell scored 12. Tyler Doyle facilitated the offense with eight assists, but the Knights’ team total of just two assists underscored their offensive stagnation against the Bears’ defense.

The victory completed a regular-season split for Central Arkansas, which lost an overtime decision at Bellarmine on Jan. 8. The Bears also dominated the interior, outscoring Bellarmine 30-22 in the paint and outrebounding them on the offensive glass 10-4.

A crowd of 1,165 watched as Central Arkansas solidified its position in the ASUN standings, while Bellarmine saw a two-game winning streak snapped. The Knights entered the game having won three of their last four, including a 92-71 victory over Stetson last Thursday.

Both teams return to conference play Saturday. Bellarmine travels to face Austin Peay, while Central Arkansas hosts West Georgia.