OPENING TIP
After playing its last three games on the road, Little Rock returns to the Jack Stephens Center to begin a four-game home stand, beginning with the continuation of the Grand Canyon Classic. The Trojans open up their Thanksgiving weekend slate facing Robert Morris at 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 25, followed by a 3 p.m. tip against Norfolk State on Sunday, November 26. Both games will be streamed live at Little Rock All-Access on LRTrojans.com with Ray Tucker calling the action over the air on The Point 94.1 FM and online at KKPT.org.
BACK IN THE JACK
Since 2005, Little Rock has called the Jack Stephens Center
home, and the venue has helped the Trojans become one of the Sun Belt's toughest home teams. Little Rock has posted a 120-60 record (.667) at the Jack since the doors opened in 2005, including a 53-19 mark (.736) against non-conference foes. The Trojans have posted a winning home record every year at the Jack Stephens Center, winning 10 or more home games on five occasions.
GRAND CANYON CLASSIC
Following its games in Phoenix and San Diego, the Trojans now return to Little Rock to conclude their involvement in the Grand Canyon Classic. The five-team tournament includes Little Rock, host Grand Canyon, San Diego, Robert Morris and Norfolk State with games being played in Phoenix, San Diego and Little Rock. In addition to the two Little Rock home games this Thanksgiving weekend, Robert Morris and Norfolk State will complete their portion of the tournament in Little Rock, playing a neutral site game at the Jack Stephens Center on Friday, November 24.
WHO ARE YOU AGAIN?
The early portion of Little Rock's 2017-18 schedule has been comprised of a number of unfamiliar jerseys. The games against Robert Morris and Norfolk State Saturday and Sunday will conclude a four-game stretch in which the Trojans will have played their first-ever game against their opponent, including Grand Canyon and San Diego. Looking ahead to the rest of Little Rock's schedule the Trojans will meet up with Bradley on December 13th for just the second time overall and will face Coastal Carolina on January 27 and February 22, meeting up with the Chanticleers just twice previously.
SCOUTING THE COLONIALS
2017-18: 1-3 overall, 0-0 Northeast Conference
Last Three Games: W at Duquesne (66-59); L at San Diego (65-53); L at Grand Canyon (75-61)Â
Head Coach: Andrew Toole (Penn, 2003). Eighth season at Robert Morris (135-109, .553)
Last Game Starters:
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#1 Jon Williams (Fr., G): 1.5 ppg | 1.3 rpg | 11.8 FG% | 16.7 3PT% | 0.0 FT% | 11 ast. | 4 stl.
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#2 David Cole (R-Fr., G): 5.5 ppg | 2.5 rpg | 42.9 FG% | 76.9 FT% | 1 ast. | 2 stl. | 1 blk.Â
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#10 Koby Thomas (Fr., F): 12.8 ppg | 5.8 rpg | 45.7 FG% | 23.1 3PT% | 60.0 FG% | 2 ast. | 5 stl.
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#11 Dachon Burke (So., G): 12.3 ppg | 6.3 rpg | 30.6 FG% | 50.0 3PT% | 73.7 FT% | 10 stl. | 2 ast.
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#23 Matty McConnell (Jr., G): 9.8 ppg | 3.5 rpg | 39.4 FG% | 29.4 3PT%| 72.7 FT% | 6 ast. | 3 blk. | 5 stl.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
2017-18: 0-4 overall, 0-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Last Three Games: L at Grand Canyon (85-60); L at San Diego (71-62), L vs. Lynchburg College (83-80)Â
Head Coach: Robert Jones (SUNY New Paltz, 2002). Fifth season at Norfolk State (73-69, .514)
Last Game Starters:
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#1 Preston Bungei (Sr., G/F): 10.3 ppg | 5.5 rpg | 39.4 FG% | 0.0 3PT% | 65.2 FT% | 8 ast. | 5 stl. | 8 blk.
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#14 Nic Thomas (So., G): 10.8 ppg | 3.0 rpg | 31.0 FG% | 23.5 3PT% | 86.7 FT% | 9 ast. | 2 stl.Â
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#22 Alex Long (Jr., F): 8.0 ppg | 3.7 rpg | 52.6 FG% | 44.4 FT% | 2 ast. | 1 stl.
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#34 Steven Whitley (So., G): 13.5 ppg | 5.0 rpg | 37.5 FG% | 41.7 3PT% | 82.6 FT% | 11 ast. | 5 stl.
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#44 Dan Robinson (Sr., C): 2.3 ppg | 3.3 rpg | 44.4 FG% | 50.0 FT% | 1 ast. | 3 blk.
SERIES HISTORY
The games this weekend against Robert Morris and Norfolk State mark the Trojans' first all-time meeting against both the Colonials and Spartans.Â
LAST TIME OUT
Little Rock spotted San Diego an 11-point lead at the beginning of both halves, then once again struggled to find its scoring touch in a 66-52 loss to the Toreros Monday evening. The Trojans connected on just 19 of its 51 shots, including going just 3-of-17 from three-point range, while committing 11 turnovers. Two players scored in double figures, comprised of a career-high 11 from
Cameron Corcoran and 10 from
Damir Hadzic, with
Andre Jones notching a career-high 10 rebounds for Little Rock.
BEYOND THE ARC
One area where Little Rock has been working hard to find a solution is its shooting from beyond the three-point arc as the Trojans are shooting 24.4 percent from three-point range, ranking 341st nationally. The road has been unkind to the Trojans' three-point shooters as the team combined to hit just six threes on 35 attempts at both Grand Canyon and San Diego, including a 26:34 drought. Four of those threes were made by freshman
Cameron Corcoran, who went 4-of-6 over the last two games, including a career-high 11 points at San Diego Monday night.
PRESENCE IN THE PAINT
One area that has played in Little Rock's favor through the first four games has been its play inside. The Trojans have outscored their opponents in the paint in three of their first four games, holding a 110-92 scoring edge. Little Rock's play down low has been led by junior
Oliver Black, who is averaging 6.8 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 61.5 percent from the floor, leading the Trojans in the last two categories. Sophomore
Andre Jones ranks second on the team with 4.8 rebounds, coming off his career-best 10-board performance at San Diego, while leading the Trojans in scoring, averaging 8.5 points per game.
TOUGH STRETCH OUT OF THE GATE
The 2017-18 season hasn't started out the way Little Rock envisioned, but the schedule hasn't been a cakewalk either. The combined record of Little Rock's first four opponents is 13-2 with Grand Canyon and San Diego both undefeated at 4-0. The four-straight losses for the Trojans to start the season is the first for Little Rock since the 1984-85 season as Little Rock is hoping to avoid an 0-5 start to the season for the first time since 1967-68 as that year's team began the year with 12-straight losses.
TROJANS AGAINST THE MEAC/NEC
Little Rock has a limited but successful history against both the Mid-Eastern Athletic and Northeast Conferences, posting a combined 8-2 record against current members. Ironically, five of those games against conference members came in 1980 with the Trojans defeating MEAC members Bethune-Cookman, Delaware State, North Carolina A&T and South Carolina State while losing to NEC member Long Island in its only meeting against a Northeast Conference school. Little Rock's last game against a member of the MEAC came in 2006, defeating Savannah State 81-53.
RISE UP FOR THE ROCK
This weekend's games kick start what will be an exciting week of basketball at the Jack Stephens Center as Trojan fans are encouraged to Rise Up For the Rock. The week-long slate against regional foes continues on Wednesday, November 29 when Little Rock welcomes rival Central Arkansas south of the river for its annual trip to the Jack. Tip-off against the Bears is set for 6:30 p.m.
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