Trojans, Bears Meet at the Jack on Saturday

Little Rock vs. Central Arkansas
Date	Saturday, Dec. 10
Time	3 p.m.
Location	Little Rock, Ark.
Venue	Jack Stephens Center
Stats	Statbroadcast
Audio	The Point 94.1 FM
Video	Little Rock All-Access
Notes	Little Rock | Central Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock faces a quick turnaround from its win over UAPB when it takes on Central Arkansas at the Jack Stephens Center on Saturday. Tipoff is 3 p.m.
 
Saturday's game against the Bears is the Trojans' second #PackTheJack game of 2016-17. Little Rock basketball schedule fans will be available while supplies last. The Junior Trojans Club Kids Zone will also be open on Fisher Court. The Trojans in Training Dance Camp starts at 10 a.m. on Fisher Court.
 
The Trojans used a strong second half to pull away from UAPB on Thursday night. Led by Maurius Hill's career-high 21 points, the Trojans shot 55.6 percent in the second half and outscored the Golden Lions 43-26 over the final 20 minutes.
 
Hill's career night was highlight by an 8-of-12 shooting performance while making 5 of 6 free throws. He added six rebounds and two steals in 30 minutes. It was his third double-figure scoring game this season after having just one in all of 2015-16.
 
Hill's numbers are up across the board this season. He is averaging career highs in nearly every category, including scoring (10.4 ppg), rebounding (5.9 rpg), assists (2.6 apg) and steals (1.0 spg).
 
Entering Saturday's matchup, all five Little Rock starters are averaging double figures in scoring.
 
Central Arkansas is 1-7 on the season with four straight losses entering Saturday's matchup. The Bears' lone win came at Army on Nov. 20.
 
Little Rock held on for an 89-87 win in overtime in the two teams' first matchup of the season on Nov. 29 at the Farris Center. Led by Marcus Johnson Jr.'s 18 points, five Trojans finished the game in double figures.
 
The win improved Little Rock to 9-0 against the Bears since moving to Division I in 1978-79.
 
Jordan Howard, who scored 19 points in the teams' first meeting, leads the Bears at 16.8 ppg. Derreck Brooks finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and four blocks in the Nov. 29 meeting and is averaging 16.0 ppg this season.
 
Russ Pennell is in his third season as head coach.
 
Quick Hits
• Coming off of its best season in program history, Little Rock has been picked to finish second in the Sun Belt Conference preseason coaches poll.
• Head coach Wes Flanigan's 7-2 record through nine games trails only Chris Beard's 9-0 start in 2015-16 for first-year Trojan head coaches.
• A win Saturday would give the program its seventh start of 8-2 or better since moving to Division I ('78-79) and its first five-game winning streak of the season.
• All five Little Rock starters are averaging double figures in scoring. The 1989-90 season was the last time Little Rock had five double-figure scorers in a season.
• Little Rock leads the Sun Belt in free throw percentage (.722), ranks second in scoring margin (+11.6) and third in rebounding margin (+6.6).
• Last season, Little Rock won the Sun Belt Conference regular-season and tournament championships and beat Purdue in the NCAA Tournament first round.
• Little Rock went 30-5 last season, establishing program and conference records for wins in a season.
• Flanigan enters his first season at the helm after serving as associate head coach on Little Rock's record-breaking 2015-16 team.