OPENING TIP
Little Rock returns to the Jack Stephens Center for a three game home stand, beginning with a Texas two step this week. The first part of the home stand begins with preseason Sun Belt Conference favorite UT Arlington on Thursday, January 11, tipping off at approximately 7:15 p.m. following the conclusion of the women's game. Ray Tucker and Kevin Crass will have the call between the Trojans and the Mavericks on The Point 94.1 FM and online at KKPT.com, beginning at 6:45 p.m.
HOME SWEET HOME
Since 2005, Little Rock has called the Jack Stephens Center home, and the venue has helped the Trojans become one of the Sun Belt's toughest home teams. Little Rock has posted a 124-63 record (.663) at the Jack since the doors opened in 2005, including a 68-42 mark (.618) against Sun Belt Conference foes. The Trojans are 4-4 on their home court this season and have posted a winning home record every year at the Jack Stephens Center, winning 10 or more home games on five occasions.
ANOTHER YEAR IN THE BELT
The 2017-18 season marks Little Rock's 27th year as a member of the Sun Belt Conference, joining the league in the 1991-92 season. During that stretch, the Trojans have posted a 233-211 (.525) record in conference play, winning the 2016 Sun Belt title with five divisional championships. Little Rock and UT Arlington began meeting as Sun Belt Conference opponents in the 2013-14 season when the Mavericks joined the league, meeting for the eighth time as league foes Thursday.
PREVIEWING THE MAVERICKS
2017-18: 11-6 overall, 2-2 Sun Belt Conference (T-5th), 3-5 on the road
Last Three Games: W vs. South Alabama (91-67); W vs. Troy (86-76); L at Appalachian State (80-76)
Head Coach: Scott Cross (UT Arlington, 1998). 12th season at UT Arlington (215-154, .583)
UT ARLINGTON SCOUTING REPORT
The Trojans will have their work cut out for them Thursday, welcoming both the preseason Sun Belt Conference favorite in UT Arlington and the preseason Player of the Year in Kevin Hervey. The Mavericks are an experienced team, starting four seniors and a graduate transfer, ranking third in the conference in scoring offense (78.8 ppg) and second in field goal percentage (46.3%). UTA ranks in the top-five in nearly every statistical category as they boast four players who average in double figures, led by Hervey's 21.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, ranking second in the Sun Belt in both categories. Johnny Hamilton leads the league in field goal percentage (62.7%) while Eric Neal leads the league in assists per game (8.1).
SERIES HISTORY
Little Rock and UT Arlington meet for the ninth time Thursday as the Mavericks hold a 5-3 edge in the all-time series. The first meeting between the two came in 2007, a 68-58 Maverick victory, as the teams became Sun Belt Conference foes in the 2013-14 season. Little Rock is 1-3 all-time against UTA in the Jack Stephens Center, earning its lone win in Little Rock with a 72-60 victory in 2016. UT Arlington won the lone meeting between the two last season, a 71-55 victory in Texas on Feb. 13, 2017.
LAST TIME OUT
Little Rock overcame a 10-point second half deficit and pulled even with Georgia Southern with 18 seconds remaining in regulation. But Tookie Brown hit a three-pointer at the buzzer, handing the Trojans a heartbreaking 72-69 loss in Statesboro, Georgia Saturday. Three Trojans scored in double figures, led by a career-high 15 points from
Oliver Black, followed by 14 points from
Cameron Corcoran (tying a career-high) and 13 from
Andre Jones.
BET ON BLACK
Junior
Oliver Black put together arguably his best performance of the season at Georgia Southern Saturday, scoring a career-high 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the floor with seven rebounds and three blocks. Black scored the first six points of the game for the Trojans, then provided a spark inside during Little Rock's second half run. Black leads Little Rock in rebounding and ranks sixth in the Sun Belt Conference, averaging 7.8 boards per game, sitting third in the league in offensive rebounds, averaging 3.1 per game.
CORCORAN CONNECTS
Freshman
Cameron Corcoran tied his career-best with 14 points at Georgia Southern Saturday, going 5-for-12 from the floor and 4-for-9 from three-point range. Corcoran leads the Trojans in three-point percentage (42.0%) and has finished in double figures five times this season, the third-most among the Little Rock roster behind
Andre Jones' nine and
Anthony Black's six.
BANKSTON ON THE BOARDS
Freshman
Kris Bankston has started to play a bigger role for the Trojans since the start of Sun Belt Conference play. The Little Rock native ranks eighth in the league in rebounding in Sun Belt games, averaging 7.3 per game, while ranking fourth in defensive rebounds per game at  5.7. In his first four conference matches, Bankston has pulled down 22 rebounds, nearly posting his first career double-double at Georgia State, finishing with eight points and nine rebounds.
CONTROLLING THE PAINT
One area that has become Little Rock's strength through the non-conference portion of 2017-18 has been its play in the paint. The Trojans have outscored their opponents 496-384 in points in the paint through 17 games this season, averaging 29.2 points in the key per game. Little Rock has held the advantage in 12 of its 17 games this season, including a 20+ point differential against Ouachita Baptist (48-20), Norfolk State (38-10) and Ozarks (46-10).
HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING
The four true freshmen on Little Rock's 2017-18 roster haven't had much time to settle into things as all four have been relied upon early and often. The quartet of
Cameron Corcoran,
Jaizec Lottie,
Damir Hadzic and
Kris Bankston have combined to play 1,077 minutes already this season, accounting for 31.2% of the Trojans' 3,450 minutes. The freshmen foursome enter the game Saturday averaging 19.6 points per game, Â nearly 31% of Little Rock's offensive production, as Lottie and Hadzic have both been constants in the Little Rock starting five.
THE CENTURY CLUB
At the midway point of the 2017-18 season, balanced scoring continues to be a theme for Little Rock. Five different players have registered 100 or more points this season, led by
Andre Jones' 176 and 133 from
Anthony Black.
Oliver Black (112),
Jaizec Lottie (101) and
Damir Hadzic (100) have each reached triple figures in points this season with
Cameron Corcoran and
Ben Marcus both on the verge, sitting at 96 points each. Eight different Trojans have led the team in scoring through 17 games this season, led by Jones on five occasions.
STRUGGLES FROM THE STRIPE
One area that has been a consistent struggle for Little Rock this season has been its success from the free throw line as the Trojans are hitting 61.3 percent of their team free throws, ranking 348th out of 351 Division I teams. Those struggles have been glaring in Sun Belt Conference play as in the Trojans' three losses, the margin of defeat was smaller than the free throw disparity. Little Rock was outscored by 17 at the free throw line against Louisiana (lost by 14), by 18 at Georgia State (lost by nine) and by six at Georgia Southern (lost by three).
PLAYING CATCH-UP
One of the biggest challenges Little Rock has faced in the 2017-18 season has been its habit of playing from behind. In the first 17 games of the season, the Trojans have led for just 218:53 of the 690 minutes played, roughly 31.5% of game time to date. Additionally, the Trojans have had to overcome some sizable deficits as Little Rock has found itself trailing by 10 points or more in 13 of its first 17 games, trailing by 16 or more in eight of those contests.Â
BATTLE WITH THE BOBCATS
Little Rock continues its home stand Saturday, January 13, welcoming Texas State to the Jack Stephens Center for the teams' only meeting in 2017-18. Opening tip against the Bobcats is scheduled for approximately 5:15 p.m. following the conclusion of the women's game.
#LittleRocksTeam
