Trojans Face Tough Road Test at ULM on Thursday

GM24: Little Rock (21-2, 11-1 SBC) at ULM (11-12, 7-5 SBC)
Thursday, Feb. 11 | 7 p.m. (CST)
Monroe, La. | Fant-Ewing Coliseum (7,000)
Radio: The Point 94.1 FM / KKPT.com
Talent: Ray Tucker (PxP)
Live Stats | Live Video | Game Notes
 
LITTLE ROCK – Currently boasting the top record in the nation (21-2), Little Rock heads to Fant-Ewing Coliseum Thursday at 7 p.m. to face ULM in the first of four straight road games.
 
The Trojans are winners of six straight, including the last four at the Jack Stephens Center to run its record to 11-0 at home on the season. Little Rock currently ranks second nationally with nine true road wins, and is two shy of matching its Division I record for road victories in a season (11).
 
In two wins over Troy and South Alabama last week, Little Rock shot 52.2 percent from the floor and assisted on 40 of 59 made field goals. Marcus Johnson Jr., who leads the Sun Belt in 3-point percentage (.463), averaged 14.5 points while making 7 of 11 3-pointers in the two wins.
 
The Trojans lead the league with an 11-1 record in Sun Belt play.
 
ULM is 11-12 on the season and 7-5 in Sun Belt Conference play entering Thursday's matchup. The Warhawks have yet to lose a game (7-0) on their home floor in 2015-16.
 
Preseason All-Sun Belt pick Majok Deng averages a team-high 19.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Deng is shooting 48.1 percent from the floor, 36.9 percent from 3 and 82.9 percent from the foul line on the year. Justin Roberson (13.3 ppg) and Nick Coppola (11.1 ppg) average double figures for the Warhawks.
 
As a team, ULM boasts the top field goal percentage in the Sun Belt (.457) and its 13.7 assists per game trail only UT Arlington among league schools. The Warhawks have won five of their last six games, with the lone loss coming in overtime at rival Louisiana.
 
In the two teams' first meeting this season, Little Rock escaped with a 58-57 win after ULM had three chaces at the game's go-ahead basket in the game's final possession. Lis Shoshi's rebound with a second to play secured the win for the Trojans.
 
Shoshi led the Trojans with 10 poiints and seven rebounds. Josh Hagins and Marcus Johnson Jr. scored nine points each. Mareik Isom, Jalen Jackson and Kemy Osse all contributed eight points.
 
Little Rock leads ULM 14-12 in the all-time series. The Trojans' win in January snapped a four-game Warhawks win streak.
 
Quick Hits
• Little Rock is off to its best start in program history and is the second team in Sun Belt history (1992-93 New Orleans) to win 21 of 23 games to start a season.
• Little Rock currently boasts the best record in the nation at 21-2 (.913).
• Little Rock recently secured its first 20-win season since 2008-09, and 10th in its Division I history.
• Little Rock is 11-0 at home and has won an arena-record 13 straight games at the Jack Stephens Center.
• Little Rock is off to its first-ever 11-1 start to Sun Belt play and is in sole possession of first place in the conference standings.
• Little Rock's scoring defense ranks first nationally (57.2 ppg) and its defensive FG% (.370) ranks fourth.
• Little Rock is ninth nationally in turnover margin (3.9) and ranks 24th in turnovers per game (10.8).
• Little Rock leads the SBC in scoring defense, defensive FG%, turnovers per game, turnover margin, 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.