OPENING TIP
Little Rock returns to action in Conway, South Carolina, facing Coastal Carolina on Saturday, January 27 at 2:30 p.m. CT. Streaming video is available for a fee on the Chanticleer Sports Network at
GoCCUSports.com along with
live stats. Ray Tucker will have the call between the Trojans and the Chanticleers from the HTC Center on The Point 94.1 FM and online at
KKPT.com, beginning with the pregame show at 2:15 p.m. CT.
WHERE ARE WE AGAIN?
Little Rock's challenging road schedule continues this weekend as the Trojans will add two more states to their growing travelogue. North and South Carolina will be the ninth and 10th different states Little Rock will have played a road game this season, comprised of Tennessee (Memphis), Arizona (Grand Canyon), California (San Diego), Arkansas (Central Arkansas), Illinois (Bradley), Texas (Sam Houston State), Mississippi (Mississippi State) and Georgia (Georgia State and Georgia Southern). To date, the Trojans have racked up nearly 8,500 miles traveled and will eclipse the 10,000-mile mark this weekend, adding over 1,800 miles during their trek to the east coast.
CHALLENGING ROAD AHEAD
Not only has Little Rock's road games taken them across the country, the Trojans have faced some tough challenges along the way. Little Rock's 10 road opponents have a combined record of 132-79 (.626) as all 10 currently sit at .500 or better on the season. Grand Canyon, Bradley and Georgia State have each registered 15 victories on the year with San Diego, Mississippi State and Georgia Southern each sitting at 14 wins in 2017-18.
PREVIEWING THE CHANTICLEERS
2017-18: 9-13 overall, 3-6 Sun Belt Conference (9th), 5-7 at home
Last Three Games: W vs. Arkansas State (62-47), W at Troy (74-73), L at South Alabama (60-57)
Head Coach: Cliff Ellis (Florida State, 1968). 11th season at Coastal Carolina (208-152, .576), 43rd season overall (820-491, .625)
COASTAL CAROLINA SCOUTING REPORT
Coastal Carolina is on a two-game winning streak entering Saturday's game, coming off a 62-47 win over Arkansas State Thursday night. The Chanticleers average 72.8 points per game, ranking seventh in the Sun Belt, while allowing 69.6 points per game (eighth). Coastal is one of the top free throw shooting teams in the league, ranking fourth at 72.2%, while sitting second in rebounding margin (+7.4) and third in field goal percentage defense (40.6%). Four Chanticleers average in double figures, led by 15.8 ppg from Zac Cuthbertson and 15.1 ppg from Jaylen Shaw, as Shaw is third in the Sun Belt in assists per game (5.5) and fourth in steals per game (1.7).
SERIES HISTORY
Little Rock and Coastal Carolina have a very limited history, meeting for just the third time Saturday afternoon. The Chanticleers won both of the previous two meetings in 2016-17, defeating the Trojans 66-63 in Conway, South Carolina on January 9, before handing Little Rock an 82-75 defeat at the Jack Stephens Center on February 4.
LAST TIME OUT
Once again, Little Rock couldn't hold on to a 13-point first half advantage and added another heartbreaking loss, this time a 72-67 overtime defeat at Appalachian State Thursday evening. The Trojans held a six-point advantage at halftime and led by as many as 11 in the second half, but a nearly six minute scoring drought allowed the Mountaineers to rally back as the Trojans were outscored 13-8 in the overtime period.
WELCOME BACK WADLY
Senior transfer
Wadly Mompremier provided a much-needed spark off the bench for the Trojans at Appalachian State. Seeing his first action since facing Louisiana on December 29, 2017, Mompremier posted a career night, finishing with 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting (including 2-of-3 from three-point range) with six rebounds and two block, becoming the ninth different Trojan to lead the team in scoring this season.
BREAK OUT BANKSTON
One player that has begun to make his mark since the start of Sun Belt Conference play has been freshman
Kris Bankston. The Little Rock native has registered 48 rebounds and 12 blocks in Sun Belt play, ranking 10th and fifth in the conference, respectively, finishing with a career-high nine rebounds on three separate occasions. Bankston has recorded three blocks in each of the last three games for the Trojans, averaging 5.3 points per game in Sun Belt play while shooting 60.9 percent from the floor and 60.0 percent from the free throw line.
CONTROLLING THE PAINT
One area that has become Little Rock's strength in 2017-18 has been its play under the basket. The Trojans have outscored their opponents 624-496 in points in the paint through 21 games this season, averaging 29.7 points in the key per game and accounting for 46.1% % of their offensive production. Little Rock has held the advantage in 15 of its 21 games this season, including a 20+ point differential against Ouachita Baptist (48-20), Norfolk State (38-10) and Ozarks (46-10).
IN OUR DEFENSE ...
While Little Rock's offensive struggles have been well documented, the Trojans' defensive presence has gone largely unnoticed. Little Rock is giving up just 69.1 points per game, ranking in the top-100 nationally (95th), holding opponents to just 42.8 percent shooting from the floor and 35.2 percent from three-point range. The Trojans have held 15 of their 21 opponents (and seven of eight Sun Belt foes) under their season average in points, keeping foes 10 points under their scoring average on seven different occasions.
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 1,375 minutes already this season, accounting for 32.2% of the Trojans' 4,275 minutes. The freshmen foursome enter the game Saturday averaging 20.0 points per game, nearly 31% of Little Rock's offensive production, as Lottie, Hadzic and Bankston have combined for 36 starts this season.
HEARTBREAK HOTEL
Thursday's overtime loss at Appalachian State added another heartbreaking loss to the Trojans' 2017-18 slate. Little Rock is now 0-6 in games in which there has been a one possession differential in the final minute of the game, which includes two overtime defeats (Oral Roberts and Appalachian State) and two games in which Little Rock has lost on an opposing basket at the buzzer (Georgia Southern and Texas State). Aiding those defeats has been the Trojans' struggles from both beyond the arc and from the free throw line as the Trojans currently rank 328th nationally in three point field goal percentage (30.8%) and 346th in free throw percentage (62.7%) among the 351 NCAA Division I teams.
PLAYING CATCH-UP
The key to victory for Little Rock this season has been to race out to an early lead and never look back. In the Trojans' five victories, Little Rock has held the lead for an average of 33:42 and has not trailed at any point in each of the last three wins over University of the Ozarks, ULM and UT Arlington. On the flip side, in the games the Trojans have lost this season, Little Rock has held the lead for an average of 8:54 and has found itself trailing by double digits on 12 occasions. Falling behind has proven costly for the Trojans this season as Little Rock has not won a game in which it has trailed at any point since rallying from 16-points down to defeat Central Arkansas 71-65 on November 29, 2017.
SEEKING THEIR ROAD TOUCH
The Trojans head to South Carolina in search of their first victory away from the Jack this season. Little Rock is 0-10 in road games this season, extending its winless streak in true road games to 11-straight, while winning just one of its last 18 in enemy territory. Little Rock's last win away from the Jack Stephens Center came in a 62-57 against South Alabama in Mobile on March 2, 2017.
WE MEET AGAIN
Little Rock returns to the Jack Stephens Center to begin the second half of its 2017-18 Sun Belt Conference slate, welcoming the two Georgia teams to Arkansas. First up for the Trojans is the rematch with Georgia Southern as Little Rock looks to avenge the buzzer-beating loss to the Eagles in Statesboro on January 6. Opening tip against Georgia Southern is scheduled for approximately 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, February 1.
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