| Mode: | Basketball |
| Year: | 2016–17 |
| Team: | Central Arkansas Bears |
| Conference: | Southland Conference |
| Short Conf: | Southland |
| Record: | 8–24 |
| Conf Record: | 7–11 |
| Head Coach: | Russ Pennell |
| Hc Year: | 3rd |
| Asst Coach1: | Anthony Boone |
| Asst Coach2: | Matt Scherbenske |
| Asst Coach3: | Josh Lowery |
| Stadium: | Farris Center (Capacity: 6,000) |
The 2016–17 Central Arkansas Bears basketball team represented the University of Central Arkansas during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bears were led by third-year head coach Russ Pennell and played their home games at the Farris Center in Conway, Arkansas as members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 8–24, 7–11 in Southland play to finish in a five-way tie for eighth place. They lost in the first round of the Southland tournament to Sam Houston State.
The Bears finished the 2015–16 season 7–21, 6–12 in Southland play to finish in a three-way tie for ninth place. Due to APR penalties, they were not eligible for postseason play, including the Southland tournament.[1]
|-!colspan=9 style=| Exhibition|-!colspan=9 style=| Non-Conference regular season|-!colspan=9 style=|Southland Conference regular season|-!colspan=9 style=| Southland tournament