Trojans Set for WNIT Second Round at Green Bay

Preseason WNIT Second Round Game 2: Little Rock at Green Bay
Date	Sunday, November 13
Time	1 p.m.
Location	Green Bay, Wisc.
Stadium	Kress Center
Stats	Statbroadcast
Audio	KARN The Sports Animal
Video	ESPN3
Notes	Little Rock

LITTLE ROCK – The Trojan women's basketball team opened the 2016-17 season with a victory over North Texas on Friday, and the team will look to follow that with another big win at Green Bay on Sunday in the Preseason WNIT Second Round.
 
The Trojans and Phoenix are set for a 1 p.m. tipoff, and the game will be available on ESPN3. The winner of Sunday's game will advance to the WNIT Semifinals against either Notre Dame or Fordham, with that game set to be played on Thursday. A loss on Sunday would put Little Rock in a consolation game to be played next weekend against an undetermined opponent.
 
The Trojans advanced to Sunday's second round with an 11-point win over former conference rival North Texas on Friday night. Sharde' Collins put up 17 points in that game, and Kaitlyn Pratt added a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Junior guard Monique Townson also recorded a career-high in scoring, putting up 13 points.
 
The biggest change for Trojan fans in Friday's game may have been the team's youth movement. While only three upperclassmen saw playing time, Little Rock used six underclassmen including two freshmen. Raeyana DeGray got her first career start, and Ronjanae DeGray got her second. Sydney Chastain, Kyra Collier, Anna Hurlburt and Emily Lytle all saw minutes as freshmen.
 
Long-time Trojan fans will remember the one time Little Rock met Green Bay. In the 2011 NCAA Tournament, the teams faced off in the first round with Green Bay claiming a 59-55 victory.
 
Green Bay has made it this far thanks to a double-digit victory over Elon in Friday's WNIT First Round game. The Phoenix were 28-5 last season, making the NCAA Tournament before falling in the first round. Green Bay was picked to win the Horizon League in the conference's preseason poll, and the Phoenix are ranked No. 2 in the season-opening College Insider Mid-Major Poll.
 
TIP OFF

• Little Rock got off to a 1-0 start on the season thanks to a 55-44 victory over North Texas in the Preseason WNIT First Round on Friday night. The Trojans outscored the Mean Green 32-21 in the second half.
• Sharde' Collins led the Trojans with 17 points, helping to keep the Trojans close in the first half. Collins tied a career high with 39 minutes play.
• Kaitlyn Pratt earned her first double-double of the season against North Texas, putting up 14 points while pulling down 14 rebounds.
• Monique Townson had a career night on Friday, scoring a career-high 13 points while making a career-best nine free throws and getting the second and third block of her career.
• The Little Rock women's basketball team enters the 2016-17 season coming off its ninth 20-win season in the last 10 years and its eighth national postseason appearance in the last 10 years.
• The Trojans reached the Postseason WNIT First Round last season, losing at Saint Louis to finish the season.
• Kaitlyn Pratt and Sharde' Collins were named to the Sun Belt's All-Preseason Teams. The Trojans were picked to finish second in the league by the coaches.
• Little Rock has six newcomers for the 2016-17 season, all freshmen.
• Little Rock is 0-1 all-time against Green Bay, losing in the 2011 NCAA Tournament's first round.