Trojans Return Home to Face #5 Bulldogs

Game 10: Little Rock vs. #5 Mississippi State
Date	Tuesday, December 13
Time	6:30 p.m.
Location	Little Rock, Ark.
Stadium	Jack Stephens Center
Stats	Statbroadcast
Audio	KARN The Sports Animal
Video	Little Rock All-Access
Notes	Little Rock

LITTLE ROCK – The Trojan women's basketball team has had more than a week off since its last game, but the team will not be eased back into basketball when its next opponent enters to the Jack Stephens Center.
 
Little Rock will be playing its third ranked opponent of the season on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. as No. 5 Mississippi State comes to town. The Trojans previously played a ranked Oklahoma team on the road and welcomed a ranked Texas A&M squad to the Jack Stephens Center in November.
 
Tuesday's game will also be home to a Toy Collection promotion. Fans can bring in a toy for donation and will receive $2 off any ticket. Santa Clause will also be on the concourse for photos with fans.
 
The Trojans are in the middle of their best stretch of basketball of the season. Little Rock has won four consecutive games and is doing so with its defense. The team is currently ranked 18th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 52.6 points per game. During the Trojans' current winning streak, the team is giving up a mere 46 points per game.
 
In fact, Little Rock's defense is causing its opponents to score far fewer points than their season average. When teams play Little Rock, on average, those teams generate 13.5 points fewer than their season averages.
 
Little Rock also owes some of its four-game winning streak to senior forward Kaitlyn Pratt. The New Orleans native was named the Sun Belt Player of the Week for the second time in her career last Tuesday thanks to a pair of 20-point efforts including a career-high 24 points against Oral Roberts. Pratt has scored 13.8 points per game and has grabbed 7.7 rebounds per game to lead Little Rock in both categories.
 
Sharde' Collins, Monique Townson and Kyra Collier are the Trojans' two top-scoring guards, putting in 12.4, 7.4 and 5.6 points per game, respectively. Collins has six double-figure scoring efforts this year while Collier has reached double-figure scoring in three of the last four games. Townson is a workhorse this year on the court, playing 38.1 minutes per game and leading the team with 39 assists.
 
Every Trojan on the roster will have to play her best on Tuesday as the Trojans square off against the Bulldogs. Mississippi State is 9-0 this season and ranked No. 5 in the nation. The Bulldogs' average margin of victory this season is 24.3 points. The Bulldogs reached the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 last year before losing to eventual national champion Connecticut.
 
TIP OFF

• Little Rock extended its winning streak to four games last Sunday with a 54-44 win over Memphis.
• The Trojans are allowing just 46 points per game during their four-game winning streak and just 52.6 points per game all year.
• Little Rock has allowed just one opponent all season to score more points than that team's season average. Trojan opponents, on average, score 13 points fewer against the Trojans than they do against all other opponents.
• Kaitlyn Pratt was named the Sun Belt Player of the Week last Tuesday for helping the team to three victories in the week.
• Carolee Dillard rejoined the Little Rock roster two weeks ago after playing volleyball for the last three seasons. Dillard played basketball her freshman and part of her sophomore year at Little Rock.
• Mississippi State will be the Trojans' third ranked, major-conference opponent this year. The Bulldogs are 7-0 lifetime against Little Rock.