LITTLE ROCK – The Trojan women's basketball team is getting some national attention this week heading into their weekend games against Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina.
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First on the docket is Appalachian State on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. The game will feature the Family Four Pack on sale, and the team will be celebrating Girls and Women in Sports Day. The Jack Stephens Center will be host to High School and Junior High Pep Band Night.
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While those fans can enjoy the game locally, Little Rock is starting to attract some national attention as well. The Trojans enter Thursday's game against the Mountaineers receiving a single vote in the USA Today Coaches Poll for the first time since the 2015-16 preseason edition of the poll.
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Little Rock is also ranked in the Mid Major Top 25 for the first time all year, coming in at No. 25 in this week's edition of the poll. The Trojans were last ranked in the Mid Major Top 25 in December 2015.
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To what does Little Rock owe this recognition? A nine-game winning streak and a perfect start to Sun Belt Conference play helps. Little Rock has not lost in the league so far, scoring an average of 76.4 points per game on its way to a 9-0 record. With two more wins this weekend, the Trojans would tie the program record for the best-ever start to conference play at 11-0.
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Sharde' Collins' offensive prowess has gotten the Trojans' scoring started for much of the current winning streak. Averaging 21.1 points per game in Sun Belt play to lead the conference, Collins was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week for the second consecutive week on Monday. She has scored at least 20 points in the last three games and is averaging just under 24 points per game in the last five games.
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Ronjanae DeGray also had a huge weekend when Little Rock last played, scoring 25 points in a win at Louisiana and 11 in a win at ULM. In those two games combined, DeGray was 13 of 14 from the field (.929) and also averaged five boards and 3.5 steals per game.
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Coming to try to stop the Trojans' streak on Thursday is Appalachian State, a team Little Rock has never lost to in five previous matchups. The Mountaineers are 8-12 overall on the year and 3-6 in Sun Belt play. The Mountaineers have lost five of their last six games with their lone win in that span coming at Georgia State. Appalachian State is rated No. 191 in the nation in RPI.
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Joi Jones is the Mountaineers' top scorer, putting up 13.4 points per game. She is joined in double figures by Madi Story and her 12.6 points per game with Q. Murray just outside that mark with 9.6 points per game. Bri Carter is the Mountaineers' best rebounder with 6.1 boards per game, and Story is second with 6.0 per game. App State has the fifth-best scoring average in the conference with 62.2 points per game.
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TIP OFF
- Little Rock has won nine consecutive games and stands alone in first place in the Sun Belt Conference.
- The Trojans' nine-game winning streak is tied for the 13th-longest active streak in the nation.
- Little Rock received a vote in this week's USA Today Coaches Poll, and the Trojans are ranked No. 25 in this week's Mid Major Top 25.
- The Trojan offense is scoring 76.4 points per conference game, second-best in the Sun Belt and best in program history for any single season.
- Sharde' Collins was named the Sun Belt Player of the Week for the second consecutive week on Monday.
- Little Rock's offense has scored more than 70 points in eight consecutive games for the first time in program history. The previous record was four straight games.
- Little Rock has the second-highest RPI in the Sun Belt this season, ranking 56th in the nation as of Wednesday morning.
- The Trojans have won 14 consecutive conference games at home are 5-0 lifetime against Appalachian State.
