Trojans, Red Wolves to Face Off Monday on ESPN3

Game Notes

GM17: Little Rock (15-1, 5-0 SBC) at Arkansas State (8-8, 4-1 SBC)
Monday, Jan. 18 | 7:30 p.m. (CST)
Jonesboro, Ark. | Convocation Center (10,563)
Radio: The Point 94.1 FM / KKPT.com
Talent: Ray Tucker (PxP)
Television: ESPN3
Talent: Matt Stolz (PxP), Nelson Catalina (Analyst)
Live Stats | Live Video
 
LITTLE ROCK – Currently in sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt Conference, Little Rock heads to Jonesboro to face Arkansas State on ESPN3. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
The Trojans are the only team unbeaten in league play after Arkansas State and UT Arlington's losses on Saturday. In addition to being 5-0 in conference play, the Trojans are one of five teams in the country with a record of 15-1 or better (.938).
 
Monday's game will be Little Rock's ninth true road game of the season. The Trojans are currently 7-1 in those games, with the only loss coming at Texas Tech on Dec. 22. A win Monday would match Monmouth (8-3) for the most true road wins in college basketball this season.
 
Arkansas State is tied for second place in the Sun Belt standings after a 4-1 start to Sun Belt Conference play. The Red Wolves began the conference season with wins over Troy, South Alabama, ULM and Louisiana before falling to Appalachian State on Saturday.
 
The Red Wolves, averaging 76.9 points per game, are led by Devin Carter (15.9 ppg), Anthony Livingston (15.0 ppg) and Donte Thomas (13.9 ppg). Sean Gardner adds 9.9 ppg and two more Red Wolves score at least 5.1 ppg to round out a balanced offensive attack.
 
Arkansas State leads the all-time series with Little Rock 49-32, but the Trojans swept the season series in 2014-15 and have won seven of the last 10 meetings.
 
Quick Hits
• Little Rock is off to its best start in program history and is one of five teams in the nation with a record of 15-1 or better (.938).
• Little Rock is 5-0 in Sun Belt play and currently in sole possession of first place in the league.
• Little Rock's 10-0 start to the season established new program and Sun Belt Conference records.
• A win Monday would give Little Rock its eighth true road victory of the season, matching Monmouth for most in the nation.
• A win Monday would give Little Rock its first-ever 6-0 start to Sun Belt play in program history.
• Little Rock's scoring defense ranks first nationally (55.8 ppg) and its defensive FG% (.362) ranks second.
• Little Rock is fifth in the nation in free throw percentage (.770) and third in turnover margin (6.0).
• Little Rock leads the SBC in scoring defense, defensive FG%, turnovers per game (10.0), turnover margin, assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3) and free throw percentage.
• 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.