Trojans Bounce Back With Win Over App State

LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock's strong end to the first half carried over to the start of the second as the Trojans (13-11, 4-7 SBC) topped Appalachian State (6-16, 1-10 SBC) 69-62 on Monday night at the Jack Stephens Center.
 
Down two with under two minutes to play in the first half, Little Rock's run started with a jumper in the paint by Maurius Hill and was quickly followed by two Lis Shoshi free throws. Stetson Billings' trey with 32 seconds until halftime gave Little Rock a five-point lead, 28-23, heading into intermission.
 
Little Rock went on to score the first six points of the second half, making it a 13-0 run that turned a two-point deficit into an 11-point advantage.
 
The Trojans doubled-up Appalachian State over the first seven-plus minutes of the second half, outscoring the Mountaineers 20-10 over that span. Jalen Jackson's trey at the 12:31 mark pushed the lead to 48-33, Little Rock's largest of the game.
 
Jackson scored in double figures for the second straight game, finishing with a team-high 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Lis Shoshi played 24 minutes and totaled 11 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Deondre Burns scored 10 points and had two steals.
 
Little Rock finished the game shooting 45.5 percent from the floor and made 10 of 22 from 3-point range. The Trojans were 9 of 11 at the foul line.
 
On the defensive end, Little Rock forced App State into 13 miscues and led 25-6 in points off turnovers. The Trojans' 11 offensive boards led to a 13-5 edge in second-chance points.
 
Ronshad Shabazz and Tyrell Johnson scored 15 points each to lead Appalachian State on offense.
 
Despite shooting 37.9 percent in the first half, Little Rock took a 28-23 lead into intermission after closing the half on a 7-0 run. The Trojans' defense forced Appalachian State into nine first-half turnovers. Little Rock made 4 of 10 from 3-point range before the break.
 
The Trojans are back in action on Saturday at Texas State. Tipoff is set for 4:30 p.m.
 
Sun Belt Championship Tickets
 
The 2017 Sun Belt Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships are scheduled for a week of March Madness in the Big Easy.  New Orleans will once again be home to the two championships that will take place at Lakefront Arena from March 7-12 and ticket books can now be purchased from your our ticket office.  For more information, visit the Sun Belt Conference's championship central websites - Men's Championship – Women's Championship – and be sure to follow the @FunBelt on social media - @SunBelt.