Black Friday Battle With Memphis Awaits Trojans

GM 4 >> Little Rock (1-2) vs. Memphis (3-1)
Friday, November 27 • 5:15 p.m. (CST)
Little Rock, Ark. • Jack Stephens Center
Live Stats | Live Video | Game Notes
Radio: Trey Schaap (PxP) on 920 AM
 
LITTLE ROCK – Fresh off the team's first win of the year, Little Rock women's basketball returns to the Jack Stephens Center on Black Friday to host Memphis. The Trojans and Tigers are ready for a 5:15 p.m. tipoff.
 
BLACK FRIDAY DEALS
Because Little Rock's game against Memphis falls on Black Friday, the department of athletics is offering great deals on tickets. Any fans bringing Black Friday shopping receipts will get half off any ticket. Fans can also purchase the Family Four Pack to get four tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks for just $40. Lastly, all faculty and staff get free admission as part of Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night.
 
TIP OFF

• Despite trailing by as many as 11 points at Oral Roberts on Tuesday night, the Trojans stormed back for a double-digit victory against the Golden Eagles.
• Key to the turnaround victory was a 17-0 run that spanned just under four minutes in the third quarter.
• Shanity James had her first double-double of the season on Tuesday and set a new career high with 24 points against Oral Roberts.
• Freshman Kira Shepard had the game of her young career, scoring 14 points and grabbing five assists and five steals.
• Sophomore Monique Townson has started all three games this season and has already eclipsed her minutes played total from her freshman year.
• Little Rock has controlled its series against Memphis lately, winning the last three games dating back to 2012. The Tigers won the first seven in the series, though.

ABOUT THE TROJANS
Little Rock broke into the win column with a stunning turnaround victory at Oral Roberts in Tulsa, Okla., on Tuesday night. Trailing by 9 points early in the third quarter, the Trojans rattled off a 17-0 run that completely changed the game. Little Rock would eventually lead by as many as 19 points in stunning the Golden Eagles crowd. Shanity James had the offensive game of her career, scoring 24 points and capping her night with a 3-pointer.
The Trojans are riding a huge wave of success over the last decade, making the national postseason for seven of the last eight seasons including four NCAA Tournament berths and three WNIT trips. Little Rock was picked third in the Sun Belt's preseason coaches poll and received two first-place votes.
 
ABOUT MEMPHIS

• The Tigers, who call Memphis, Tenn., home, have posted a 3-1 record at this point in the season. Their three wins have come against Jacksonville State, Eastern Illinois and Georgetown. Their one loss was at Kansas.
• As a team, Memphis is averaging 10.2 more points per game than opponents. They have posted 67.5 points per game and are allowing just 57.3 points per game.
• The offensive leader for this Tigers squad is Ariel Hearn with 12.0 points per game. But she is joined in double-figure scoring by Asianna Fuqua-Bey (11.5 ppg) and Brianna Wright (10.5).
• Besides scoring in double figures, Wright also leads the Tigers in rebounding with 7.0 boards per game. Fuqua-Bey pulls down 5.8 rebounds per contest.
• Hearn tops the Tigers in passing besides being their leading scorer. She has 2.8 assists per game this year and a team-high 14 steals.
• Melissa McFerrin is now in her seventh season as the head coach of Memphis. She has a 111-87 record so far with them and a 161-157 record as a head coach overall.

 
THE SERIES AGAINST MEMPHIS
Last season saw the 10th meeting all-time between Little Rock and Memphis, and the Trojans claimed a victory for the third straight season. Still, Memphis holds a 7-3 lead all-time against the Trojans. Back in 2014, the Trojans defeated the Tigers 66-59 in their home gym thanks to a 20-point, 10-rebound effort from Kaitlyn Pratt.
 
A WIN AGAINST MEMPHIS WOULD…
…be the team's fourth consecutive victory over the Tigers…be the team's second consecutive victory…be Joe Foley's 702nd career win.
 
LITTLE ROCK VS. THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
The Trojans have played 27 games against current AAC teams, but most of those contests have come against Tulsa and Memphis, two teams that just joined the AAC last year. Besides Little Rock's 9-1 record against Tulsa and a 3-7 mark against Memphis, the Trojans are 1-1 against South Florida, 1-1 against SMU and 0-3 against Tulane.
 
ANATOMY OF A 17-0 RUN
Oral Roberts' Bria Pitts hit a 3-pointer with 6:21 remaining in the third quarter to put the Golden Eagles ahead 37-28. From there, the Trojans took over.
 
What followed points-wise: Keanna Keys jumper, Keys free throw, Shanity James layup, Keys layup, James layup (tie game), James layup, Kira Shepard 3-pointer, Alexius Dawn 3-pointer.
 
Those 17 points took the Trojans from a 9-point deficit to an 8-point lead in just four minutes and one second. In that span, Memphis missed five shots, had two turnovers and committed four fouls. The Trojans had no turnovers or fouls in that span.
 
HUGE TURNAROUND
Thanks to that run and a dominant second half, the Trojans went from trailing by as many as 11 points to leading by as many as 19. Those two number combine for a 30-point swing.
 
JAMES' CAREER NIGHT
Senior forward Shanity James had the best offensive night of her career on Tuesday, putting up 24 points as the Trojans defeated Oral Roberts. James' previous career high of 20 points came way back in her freshman year against Rice. James also set a career high with 10 made field goals and 22 attempted field goals against the Golden Eagles. James, averaging 17 points per game – a number that is third among Sun Belt conference players – has scored in double figures in every game this year. James reached double figures in 20 of 33 games last season and is also the team's current rebounding leader with 7.3 per game. Her double-double Tuesday with 24 point and 11 rebounds was her first of the season and 15th of her career.
 
SECOND-HALF EXPLOSION
After putting up just 20 points in the entire first half – and 7 in the second quarter – Little Rock exploded for 31 points in the third quarter and outscored Memphis 46-24 in the second half to turn an 8-point halftime deficit into a 14-point win.
 
SHEPARD TAKES FLIGHT
Earning her first career start on Tuesday, freshman Kira Shepard certainly showed why she deserved the nod. Playing in 36 minutes of the game, Shepard set new career highs in almost every statistical category. She had 14 points on 3-of-4 shooting from downtown and also snagged four rebounds while putting up five assists and five steals. Shepard shot 50 percent from the field in making five of her 10 shots, and she has been the most prominent by far of the seven new players on the roster this year.
 
TOWNSON BANKING MINUTES
A little-used guard off the bench last season, then-freshman Monique Townson played in 103 total minutes in her first year with the team. Through three games with Little Rock as a sophomore, Townson has already seen 111 minutes of action while starting in all three Little Rock games. On Tuesday, she tied a career high with four rebounds and set a new career high with five assists.
 
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
Little has had an incredible home-court advantage over the last two seasons, going 13-1 each year for a .929 winning percentage. The Trojans were also 9-0 at home in conference play in 2014-15, finishing their Sun Belt slate undefeated at home. The team has done this four times in its history now under Joe Foley, going 9-0 in 2007-08, 2009-10, 2013-14 and 2014-15. Overall at the Jack Stephens Center, Little Rock is 126-22, a winning percentage of .851. The Trojans last lost a home conference game in January 2013, a streak of 24 straight wins.
 
DAWN BACK ON TRACK
After a slow offensive start to her year including a 0-point night against LSU, senior guard Alexius Dawn eclipsed the double-digit scoring mark for the first time this season at Oral Roberts. Dawn sank two 3-pointers, made one 2-point shot and added three free throws to reach 11 points on the night. She also tied for the team high with five assists and played a game-high 38 minutes.
 
SECOND CHANCES COME THROUGH
Little Rock pulled down 17 offensive rebounds at Oral Roberts, and they used those to their advantage. The team had a total of 13 second-chance points on the night, bettering Oral Roberts' 2 in that category. The Trojans outrebounded the Golden Eagles 40-30 overall and 17-7 on the offensive glass.
 
PRATT DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Junior forward Kaitlyn Pratt got her season off to a strong start, recording a double-double to top the Trojans in points and rebounds against Tulane on Nov. 13. Pratt had 15 points and 10 rebounds, earning the third double-double of her career. She had a double-double at Memphis last season with 20 points and 10 rebounds, and her first career double-double came against Incarnate Word in 2013 with a 16-point, 15-rebounds effort. Pratt used an impressive 6-of-10 shooting performance from the field and a 3-of-3 performance from the free-throw line to help her reach those 15 points at Tulane.
 
NEWCOMER PLAYING TIME
Of the Trojans' seven new players for 2015-16, five have seen the court in the first two games of the year. Kira Shepard has seen the most total minutes with 66, and Ronjanae DeGray has the next-most with 14. Shepard has the most points per game of the newcomers, picking up 6.7 per game. Ronjanae DeGray has also scored, averaging 1.3 points per game. Amber Landing and Kiara Scott have yet to see the floor.
 
CAREER NUMBERS WATCH
Against Oral Roberts:

• Shanity James moved up to sixth all-time in Trojan history with her 72nd career block.
• Alexius Dawn took sole possession of ninth all-time in made 3-pointers.
• Monique Townson scored her 50th point.

Coming soon:

• Shanity James is three blocks away from fifth all-time in Trojan history.
• Sharde' Collins' next assist will be her 50th.
• Keanna Keys needs six more defensive rebounds for 100.

 
UP NEXT
Little Rock heads back on the road next week to take on No. 22 Oklahoma in Norman. The Trojans and Sooners are set for a 7 p.m. tipoff on Wednesday.