Trojans Improve to 9-0 with 77-54 Win at UCA

CONWAY, Ark. – Little Rock improved to 9-0 and matched its third-longest win streak in program history with a 77-54 win over Central Arkansas (1-8) at the Farris Center on Wednesday. Four Trojans finished the game in double figures as Little Rock shot 45.2 percent as a team and knocked down 17 of 18 free throws.
 
"I thought in the first half we played Little Rock basketball," head coach Chris Beard said following the win. "We shot a good percentage, had low turnovers and defended at a high level. They've got really good players; they've got a really good offense with spacing. To hold those guys to 15 points in the first half was about as well as we've played all year."
 
Little Rock closed the first half with a 15-0 run and held the Bears without a point over the final 6:39 to stretch a seven-point lead into a 22-point halftime margin. The Trojans outscored the bears 40-39 over the final 20 minutes.
 
"I was really disappointed in the second half," Beard said. "So I told the guys, I'm pleased with the victory, but we're trying to play basketball, we're not trying to play the scoreboard. We have to play a lot better than we played tonight to take the next step."
 
Marcus Johnson Jr. led all scorers with 16 points on the night. Jalen Jackson added 14 points while Josh Hagins added 13 points and five assists. Maurius Hill scored 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
 
Little Rock finished the game with a 39-10 edge in bench scoring and a 16-2 advantage in second-chance points.
 
The Trojans are one of eight undefeated teams in the country as of Wednesday night and are now of just two – the other being Navy – with a 5-0 road record on the season. Of the eight undefeated teams, only SMU (2) has multiple road victories.
 
The Trojans will look to match the program record for consecutive victories (10) Sunday vs. Northern Arizona.
 
An 11-2 run midway through the first half allowed Little Rock to grow a two-point lead into an 11-point margin. Woods' free throws with 11:57 to go in the half started the run, and Hagins' lay in with 7:30 to go capped the spurt and put the Trojans up 22-11.
 
After consecutive UCA buckets pulled the Bears back within single digits, Little Rock closed the half on a 15-0 run while holding the Bears without a point over the final 6:30 of the half. With the Trojans' lead at 22-15, a Johnson jumper pushed the margin back to nine. Transition baskets by Hagins and Hill put Little Rock up 33-15, and Hagins capped the run with a baseline floater to make it a 37-15 lead with 15 seconds left in the half.
 
Little Rock returns to action with its final non-conference home game on Sunday when the Trojans host Northern Arizona. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. with the women's basketball team vs. Missouri State set to follow.