LR Looks to Stay Perfect vs. East Carolina

Game Notes
 
GM4: Little Rock (3-0) vs. East Carolina (2-2) | Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational
Thursday, Nov. 26 | 1 p.m. (CST)
Las Vegas, Nevada | Orleans Arena (9,500)
Radio: The Point 94.1 FM / KKPT.com
Talent: Ray Tucker (PxP)
 
LITTLE ROCK – Fresh off its road win at San Diego State, Little Rock heads to Las Vegas to take on East Carolina in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational at Orleans Arena on Thursday. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. (CST).
 
The Trojans are 3-0 for the first time since the 2008-09 season and just the seventh time in the program's Division I era. A win Thursday would give the program its fifth 4-0 start since moving to Division I in 1978-79.
 
Little Rock's win at San Diego State received national attention, largely due to the Aztecs' dominance at home under head coach Steve Fisher. The Trojans were just the 12^th team to win at Viejas Arena since 2005-06, and just the sixth non-Mountain West member to win over the same span. San Diego State came into the game having won 32 of its last 33 home games with an average margin of victory of 16.8 points.
 
Little Rock, who leads the Sun Belt Conference in scoring defense (49.7 ppg) and defensive field-goal percentage (.331) and ranks second and 16^th, respectively, in those categories nationally, limited San Diego State to 28.3 percent shooting from the floor. The Aztecs finished the game with more turnovers (16) than made field goals (13).
 
Thursday's contest will be the first between Little Rock and East Carolina. The Pirates are 2-2 on the season and coming off a loss at San Diego State on Monday night.
 
Caleb White leads ECU on offense at 14.8 points per game. White is shooting 43.6 percent from the floor, 41.2 percent from 3-point range and has made 18 of 22 free throws (.818) through four games.
 
Quick Hits
• Little Rock improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2008-09 with a 49-43 win at San Diego State on Saturday, Nov. 21.
• Little Rock became just the 12th team and sixth non-conference program to win at Viejas Arena since the 2005-06 season.
• New head coach Chris Beard is the 21st head coach in program history and the ninth of its Division I era.
• Through three games, Little Rock leads the SBC in scoring defense (49.7 ppg) and FG% defense (.331). It ranks second and 16^th, respectively, in those categories nationally.
• On offense, LR leads the league in scoring margin (+23.7) and 3FG% (.368) while eight Trojans are averaging at least 6.0 ppg.
• 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.
• Beard sports a record of 144-45 (.762) in six-plus seasons as a head coach.
• Little Rock's 2015-16 roster features 10 newcomers, including seven with immediate eligibility.
• Little Rock returns four lettermen and three redshirt players from its 2014-15 squad.
 
About East Carolina
Little Rock will face East Carolina in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational on Thursday, Nov. 26 at 1 p.m. in Orleans Arena. Thursday's matchup will be the first-ever contest between the two programs.
 
East Carolina, picked to finish eighth in its second season in The American Athletic Conference, is off to a 2-2 start with wins over Grambling State and Charlotte. The Pirates are coming off a 79-54 loss at San Diego State on Monday night. ECU was limited to 18-of-56 (.321) shooting from the floor in the loss.
 
Caleb White leads ECU on offense at 14.8 points per game. White is shooting 43.6 percent from the floor, 41.2 percent from 3-point range and has made 18 of 22 free throws (.818) through four games.
 
Head coach Jeff Lebo is in his sixth season with the Pirates.
 
Last Time Out
Little Rock didn't have to wait long for the first statement win of the Chris Beard era as the Trojans knocked off preseason Mountain West Conference favorite San Diego State by a 49-43 final at Viejas Arena on Saturday, Nov. 21. The win improved the Trojans to 3-0 on the season.
 
The Trojans became just the 12th team and sixth non-Mountain West member to beat the Aztecs in Viejas Arena since 2005. The win is Little Rock's third-ever over a Mountain West opponent, and first since Colorado State on Nov. 30, 2002.
 
Little Rock led for all but 4:41 of the game as Josh Hagins scored nine straight points late to seal the win.
 
More on San Diego State Win
Despite San Diego State's size advantage, Little Rock outscored SDSU 14-12 in the paint. The Trojans turned the Aztecs' 16 miscues into a 14-7 edge in points off turnovers. Little Rock ended SDSU's 15-game home winning streak vs. non-conference foes, which was tied for the third-longest run in school history. SDSU is now 145-17 (.895) in home games since 2005-06.
 
San Diego State came into Saturday's game having won 32 of its last 33 home games with an average margin of victory of 16.8 points. Little Rock's defense forced San Diego State into 16 turnovers and allowed the Aztecs just 13 made field goals.
 
Hot Start
Little Rock is 3-0 for the first time since the 2008-09 season and just the seventh time in its DI era. A win Thursday would give Little Rock its fifth 4-0 start since 1978-79, and first since 2008-09.