LR Goes For Sweep of South Alabama Saturday

GM23: Little Rock (20-2, 10-1 SBC) vs. South Alabama (9-13, 4-7 SBC)
Saturday, Feb. 6 | 6 p.m. (CST)
Little Rock, Ark. | Jack Stephens Center (5,600)
Radio: The Point 94.1 FM / KKPT.com
Talent: Ray Tucker (PxP), Bobby Vint (Analyst)
Live Stats | Live Video | Game Notes
 
LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock caps a four-game homestand Saturday night when it hosts South Alabama at the Jack Stephens Center. At halftime of the men's game, the 1985-86 men's basketball team that upset Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament will be recognized and inducted into the Little Rock Trojan Athletic Hall of Fame.
 
In addition to the 1985-86 team's induction, all former lettermen in attendance will be recognized at halftime. The Junior Trojans Club Kids Zone will be open on Fisher Court throughout the doubleheader.
 
Little Rock's win Thursday night over Troy secured the program's first 20-win season since 2008-09. The Trojans are now 20-2 on the season, which ties Xavier for the top record in the nation.
 
The Trojans are now the third program in Sun Belt Conference history, joining the 1992-93 New Orleans squad and the 2011-12 Middle Tennessee team, to win 20 of 22 games to start a season.
 
South Alabama enters Saturday's matchup at 9-13 overall and 4-7 in Sun Belt play following an overtime loss at Arkansas State on Thursday night. The Jaguars led by five with less than five minutes to play, but were held scoreless over the final 4:18 of regulation.
 
South Alabama had won two straight games before Thursday's loss. Led by Ken Williams' 14.5 points per game, the Jaguars are averaging 70.0 ppg as a team. In addition to Williams, Georgi Boyanov (11.4 ppg) and Nick Stover (10.0 ppg) average double figures on offense.
 
In the teams' first matchup of the season, Little Rock overcame an 11-0 deficit to start the game to earn a 69-60 win at the Mitchell Center on Dec. 30.
 
Little Rock finished the night shooting 41.8 percent from the floor compared to 35.1 percent from South Alabama. Little Rock's defense limited the Jaguars to 9-of-30 shooting (.300) after halftime.
 
Josh Hagins led Little Rock on offense, totaling 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor, 3-of-6 from 3 and 4-of-4 from the foul line. Jalen Jackson came off the bench to score 11 points. Roger Woods and Lis Shoshi added nine points each.
 
South Alabama leads Little Rock 28-17 in the all-time series. The Trojans' win in Mobile earlier this season stopped a three-game losing streak to the Jags.
 
Quick Hits
• Little Rock is off to its best start in program history and is one of just three teams in Sun Belt history to win 20 of 22 games to start a season.
• As of Friday, Little Rock is tied with Xavier for the best record in the nation at 20-2 (.909).
• Thursday's win secured Little Rock's first 20-win season since 2008-09, and 10th in its Division I history.
• Little Rock is 10-0 at home and has won an arena-record 12 straight games at the Jack Stephens Center.
• Little Rock is off to its first-ever 10-1 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 (57.9 ppg) and its defensive FG% (.374) ranks fifth.
• Little Rock is 10th nationally in turnover margin (4.1) and ranks 20th in turnovers per game (10.6).
• 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.