Little Rock Returns Home to Host Northern Arizona

Game Notes
 
GM10: Little Rock (9-0) vs. Northern Arizona (2-7)
Sunday, Dec. 20 | 1 p.m. (CST)
Little Rock, Ark. | Jack Stephens Center (5,600)
Radio: The Point 94.1 FM / KKPT.com
Talent: Ray Tucker (PxP), Bobby Vint (Analyst)
Live Stats | Live Video
 
LITTLE ROCK – The Little Rock men's basketball team (9-0) hosts Northern Arizona (2-7) in the first game of a men's and women's doubleheader on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center. A victory would extend the best start to a season in school and Sun Belt Conference history, and would match the longest win streak in program history.
 
The Department of Athletics will be giving away free Little Rock Trojans earmuffs to the first 250 fans for Sunday's doubleheader at the JSC. The women's game vs. Missouri State will tip off at 3 p.m.
 
The Salvation Army will be in attendance for Sunday's doubleheader. Any fan who donates an unused toy or clothing item will receive a buy-one, get-one-free ticket offer. Santa Claus will be on the concourse next to the Trojan Team Store between games, and fans are encouraged to bring their own camera or phones for free pictures with Santa.
 
Little Rock has won 10 straight games twice as a Division I institution, once during the 1985-86 season and again in 1987-88. The Trojans also won 10 straight as Little Rock Junior College in the 1942-43 season. The Trojans will be looking for their 10th straight win on Sunday.
 
After Wednesday's 77-54 win at Central Arkansas, Little Rock has matched Navy for the best road record in the nation at 5-0. The 5-0 start in road games is also the best in program history.
 
Northern Arizona, who has never played Little Rock, will bring a 2-7 record in the JSC, with its two victories coming against Embry-Riddle and San Diego Christian. The Lumberjacks' roster features three players averaging double figures and a fourth scoring 9.9 points per game.
 
Quick Hits
• Little Rock's 9-0 start to the season is the best in both program and Sun Belt Conference history.
• A win on Sunday would match the program record for consecutive victories (10).
• A win Sunday would also be the 100th for the program in the Jack Stephens Center.
• Little Rock is tied with Navy for the best road record in the nation (5-0).
• Little Rock is receiving votes in the AP Top 25 and USA Today Coaches polls. This is the first time a Little Rock team has received votes in the AP Poll since Feb. 1988.
• Little Rock is ranked No. 2 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll, receiving four No. 1 votes.
• Little Rock's scoring defense ranks first nationally (53.3 ppg) and its defensive FG% (.365) ranks 11th.
• The Trojans lead the nation in free throw percentage (.827) and rank fourth in turnover margin (7.1).
• Seven different Trojans are scoring 5.0 ppg or more.
• Head coach Chris 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.
 
About Northern Arizona (2-7 Overall)
Northern Arizona will bring a 2-7 record into the Jack Stephens Center on Sunday. The Lumberjacks have lost four straight, most recently falling 92-37 at No. 13 Arizona. NAU's wins game against Embry-Riddle (Nov. 20) and San Diego Christian (Nov. 23).
 
NAU is scoring 69.6 points per game on the season and boasts three players averaging double-figures. Kris Yanku leads the team at 13.7 ppg, followed by Ako Kaluna (10.7 ppg) and Jaleni Neely (10.6 ppg). Torry Johnson is just shy of the mark at 9.9 ppg.
 
Head coach Jack Murphy is in his third season with the program. Murphy spent eight seasons on the staff at Arizona (1998-06) under Lute Olson and three seasons with Josh Pastner at Memphis (2009-12). He spent three years with the Denver Nuggets before joining NAU.
 
Receiving Votes
For the third straight week, Little Rock received votes – 14 total points – in the AP Top 25 poll released on Monday (Dec. 14). Additionally, Little Rock received nine votes in Monday's USA Today Coaches Poll.
 
The Trojans are the first Sun Belt Conference men's basketball program to earn AP Top 25 votes since Middle Tennessee during the 2012-13 season. The Blue Raiders received votes in the AP Top 25 in three separate weeks that season.
 
It is the first time Little Rock has received votes in the AP Poll since Feb. 1988.
 
Trojans Rising in Mid-Major Polls
Little Rock climbed to No. 2 in this week's CollegeInsider.com mid-major top-25 poll, and received four of 31 No. 1 votes in the poll. The Trojans are just three weeks removed from appearing for the first time in the poll at No. 15.
 
Little Rock also appears in this week's MidMajorMadness.com poll at No. 7, up from No. 11 the previous week.
 
Limiting Mistakes
Little Rock is averaging 10.3 turnovers per game through nine contests to lead the Sun Belt and rank 17th nationally. The Trojans have played five games (SDSU, East Carolina, vs. UCA, DePaul, at UCA) with fewer than 10 miscues.
 
Little Rock ranks fourth nationally in turnover margin (7.1).
 
The Trojans have played two full halves this season without committing a turnover. Little Rock committed zero turnovers in the first half at San Diego State before repeating the effort in the second half of its game vs. East Carolina.
 
On average, Little Rock is committing fewer turnovers per game in road and neutral games (9.6) than in games played at the JSC (12.7).
 
Balanced Scoring
Seven different Little Rock players are averaging at least 5.0 points, and eight different Trojans have scored in double figures on the season.
 
The Trojans are assisting on 55.5 percent of their made field goals and boast a 1.3 assist-to-turnover ratio as a team.
 
Defensive Intensity
Little Rock ranks first nationally in scoring defense (53.3 ppg) and ranks 11th in defensive field goal percentage (.365).
 
The Trojans also rank in the top 40 nationally in steals per game (8.3) and scoring margin (16.0).