JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — In a grinding ASUN Conference tournament semifinal defined by defensive pressure and offensive inefficiency, the Central Arkansas Bears used a decisive second-half surge to pull away from the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles, 73-63, on Saturday night at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.

The victory, which came before a sparse crowd at the neutral site, propelled Central Arkansas to a 22-11 record and into the conference championship game. Florida Gulf Coast’s season ended at 16-18, concluding a campaign of narrow defeats and offensive struggles.

The game was a stark contrast to the teams’ two regular-season meetings, both decided by two points, including an overtime thriller just over two weeks prior. This third act was a physical, disjointed affair where neither team could establish consistent rhythm. The Bears, however, found just enough scoring bursts and capitalized on the Eagles’ frigid perimeter shooting to secure the win.

Central Arkansas guard Camren Hunter, the game’s leading scorer, was the primary catalyst. He finished with 23 points, including several crucial baskets when the Bears needed to stem Florida Gulf Coast momentum. His backcourt mate, Ty Robinson, added 13 points, while forwards Javion Guy-King and Cole McCormick each chipped in 12 and 13 points, respectively. The Bears shot 43.3% from the field and a serviceable 32% from three-point range.

Florida Gulf Coast was led by Rahmir Barno’s 14 points and five assists, and Michael Duax’s 15 points. But the Eagles’ offense never found its footing, particularly from beyond the arc. They connected on a dismal 5 of 32 three-point attempts, a 15.6% clip that proved insurmountable. Despite forcing 10 turnovers and registering nine steals, the Eagles could not convert those extra opportunities into points, shooting just 38.7% overall.

The first half set the tone for the struggle. Central Arkansas built a small but persistent lead, going up by as many as eight points before settling for a 35-32 advantage at the break. The Eagles stayed close through activity on the offensive glass and by attacking the paint, but their outside shots consistently rattled out.

The most critical sequence of the game unfolded early in the second half, turning a narrow contest into a comfortable Bears lead. Holding a 42-39 edge, Central Arkansas unleashed a 12-2 run over a three-minute span that effectively decided the outcome. The surge was sparked by defensive stops and timely shooting. It began with a Harrison Beauchamp three-pointer, followed by a Camren Hunter turnaround jumper. After a Florida Gulf Coast shot-clock violation, Hunter found Ty Robinson for another three-pointer, pushing the lead to 10 points at 47-37 with 13:28 to play.

Florida Gulf Coast coach, sensing the game slipping away, called a timeout, but the Eagles could not mount a sustained response. Every time they managed to cut the deficit to single digits, Central Arkansas answered. A Cole McCormick three-pointer with 8:37 left extended the lead back to 52-41, and the Bears maintained a double-digit cushion for nearly the remainder of the contest.

The Eagles made a final, desperate push in the last minute. Trailing by 10, Rahmir Barno drove for a layup to make it 67-59 with 33 seconds left. After a pair of Javion Guy-King free throws, JR Konieczny hit a jumper to cut it to 69-61 with eight seconds remaining. But Central Arkansas closed the game at the foul line, with Hunter and Robinson combining to make four free throws in the final seconds to seal the 10-point victory.

Statistically, the game was a near mirror in possessions, with each team having 71. Central Arkansas’s offensive rating of 102.9, however, far outpaced Florida Gulf Coast’s 88.6, highlighting the stark difference in scoring efficiency. The Bears also held a notable advantage at the free-throw line, making 13 of 21 attempts compared to the Eagles’ 10 of 15.

The loss ends a disappointing season for Florida Gulf Coast, which entered the tournament having won two of its last three, including a dominant 77-53 victory over Lipscomb in the quarterfinals. Central Arkansas, the pregame favorite by 5.5 points, now advances to face the winner of the other ASUN semifinal with a chance to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The total score of 136 fell well under the betting over/under line of 145.5, a testament to the defensive intensity and poor shooting that characterized the evening.