Trojans Host Preseason Favorite Louisiana Thursday

Game Notes

GM14: Little Rock (12-1, 2-0 SBC) vs. Louisiana (5-6, 1-1 SBC)
Thursday, Jan. 7 | 7:15 p.m. (CST)
Little Rock, Ark. | Jack Stephens Center (5,600)
Radio: The Point 94.1 FM / KKPT.com
Talent: Ray Tucker (PxP), Bobby Vint (Analyst)
Live Stats | Live Video
 
LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock continues Sun Belt Conference play when it hosts Louisiana at the Jack Stephens Center on Thursday at 7:15 p.m. The Ragin' Cajuns were picked to win the Sun Belt in a preseason vote of the coaches.
 
Thursday is Family Night at the JSC, and family-themed activities will be ongoing throughout the doubleheader with the women's teams (5:15 p.m.). The Family Four Pack – 4 tickets, 4 drinks and 4 hot dogs for $40 – will be available. The Department of Athletics will give away Little Rock Trojans earmuffs to the first 250 fans in attendance.
 
The Trojans are coming off a pair of road victories to open league play, winning 69-60 at South Alabama before earning a 67-61 victory at Troy. The wins put Little Rock at 7-1 in true road games this season. The Trojans are the only team in the nation with seven true road victories.
 
Little Rock's scoring defense continues to lead the nation at 55.6 ppg. Troy became just the third program to score more than 60 points against the Trojans' this season. Only Central Arkansas (73 points on Dec. 1) has scored more than 70 points against Little Rock on the year.
 
Louisiana is 5-6 on the season and 1-1 in Sun Belt Conference play following its 79-58 win over Appalachian State on Saturday. The Ragin' Cajuns received nine of 11 first-place votes as the preseason favorite to win the Sun Belt Conference. Shawn Long – who is averaging 18.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game – is the preseason pick for Student-Athlete of the Year.
 
Louisiana is averaging 84.3 ppg to lead the Sun Belt and rank 20th nationally.  Led by Long, the Cajuns are averaging 15.0 offensive boards per game to rank eighth nationally. Louisiana ranks 14th nationally in total rebounds (42.9).
 
Quick Hits
• Little Rock is off to its best start in program history and is one of 15 teams in the country with a record of 12-1 or better (.923).
• Little Rock's 10-0 start to the season established new program and Sun Belt Conference records.
• Little Rock is 7-1 in true road games (.875) and the only team in the nation with seven true road victories.
• A win Thursday would match Little Rock's total for all of the 2014-15 season (13).
• Little Rock is ranked No. 3 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll and No. 9 in the Mid-Major Madness Power 15.
• Little Rock's scoring defense ranks first nationally (55.6 ppg) and its defensive FG% (.365) ranks sixth.
• Little Rock is second in the nation in free throw percentage (.784) and eighth in turnover margin (5.7).
• Little Rock leads the SBC in scoring defense, defensive FG%, turnovers per game (10.5), turnover margin, assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2) and free throw percentage.
• Head coach Chris Beard comes to Little Rock after two seasons at Angelo State, where he went 47-15 and led ASU to the 2015 NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen and No. 19 national ranking in 2014-15.