LITTLE ROCK – The Little Rock Trojans are at home to open the 2018-2019 season in the Jack Stephens Center for a 6:30 tipoff against FAU, a former Sun Belt foe, on Wednesday, Nov. 14. Tickets for the contest and the rest of the season can be purchased
here.
Start It Off with a Dub
With its 69-58 win at LA Tech, the Trojans are 8-2 to open the season in the last 10 years, 4-2 when the season opener is on the road and 18-11 all-time in season-kickoff games. The next context, a 6:30 meeting with FAU comes within the friendly confines of the Jack Stephens Center. Since the 2005-2006 season, Little Rock is 160-32 when playing on its home court. The Trojans are 4-1 in the last five season's home openers. Its only loss coming at the hands of LSU in 2014.
There's a First Time for Everything
Little Rock's victory over the Lady Techsters in Ruston was the first in program history. The Trojan's had played in Ruston six times before, the first meeting in the Thomas Assembly Center coming in 2000.
This my day, lucky you
Junior guard
Kyra Collier exploded for a career-high 31 points at Louisiana Tech. She broke her previous record of 23 that was sent against Memphis last season. The North Little Rock product is the first Trojan to have a 30+ point since Taylor Gault's 31-point outbreak vs. Oral Roberts on Nov. 21 of 2012. Collier also recorded a perfect outing at the charity stripe, going eight-for-eight.
"Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read Hogwarts, A History?"
This is the 10
th all-time meeting with FAU, a former Sun Belt member school. Little Rock is 9-0 versus the Owls, all the match-ups happening while Coach Foley has been at the helm of the program. The first meeting, a 60-57 win in Boca Raton, came during the 2006-2007 season and the last meeting, a 60-43 decision, was held on Feb. 23, 2013. Little Rock is 67-84 all-time against Conference USA teams. Before last week's victory, a 72-62 win at Southern Miss in the 2017 WNIT was Little Rock's last win over a C-USA program. FAU is one of four Conference USA affiliated teams the Trojans will face this year.
The Results Are In
The Trojans were voted No. 1 in the Sun Belt's preseason poll, receiving eight first-place first and accumulating 133 points overall. Right behind Little Rock was Troy, 131 points, getting four first place votes. The rest of the pool shook out as follows: Texas State, UTA, Arkansas State, South Alabama, Louisiana, Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State and ULM.
What's Cooler Than Being Cool?
Trojan senior
Ronjanae DeGray was picked as the conference's Preseason Player of the Year along with being selected to the First-Team All-Conference squad. DeGray, coming off a season where she averaged 13.8 points, 5.6 boards and .508 shooting from the floor, is the returning statistical leader for numerous categories. The Odessa, Texas native was a Sun Belt Conference First Team selection for the regular season and conference tournament, started 11 contests and appeared in 32 games. She tallied her first career double-double by tying her season high with 23 points while putting up a career-high 13 rebounds in the Trojans' overtime win at Louisiana on March 3.
Let Me See You Run It, Run It
Sophomore
Tori Lasker received preseason recognition alongside DeGray, being selected third-team. Lasker saw the most playing time out of any freshman last season. She started 24 games and was one of only four Trojans to appear in all 33 contests. She drained a freshman record-setting 57 three-pointers, the sixth most in a single season, and dished out the second most assists, 89. Against Memphis, Lasker registered 21 points in her first collegiate game, a program record for a freshman debut.
I Will Try To Be Worthy of My Post
Joe Foley, the 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017 and 2018 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year and 2010 Russell Athletic/WBCA Regional Coach of the Year, has led the Little Rock Women's Basketball program to 20-win seasons 11 of the last 12 years, outright Sun Belt Conference West Division titles in the final six years the Sun Belt had divisions, three Sun Belt regular-season championships, post-season appearances in 10 of the last 11 years – including five NCAA berths – and Sun Belt Conference Tournament titles in 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2018. Foley has recorded a 768-244 (.759) career record and a 312-163 (.657) record at Little Rock as he begins his 16th season in 2018-19. Considered by many to be the best coaching job of his career, Foley led the Trojans back to the NCAA Tournament in 2017-18. Little Rock began the season with a 3-8 record in non-conference play with a signature win over Oklahoma at home. After the rough start, the Trojans found their groove in conference play as they tallied their second consecutive Sun Belt Regular-Season Championship after going 17-1 in conference play for the second straight year. This earned Foley his fifth Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year award — the second-most in league history. The Trojans went on to defeat Texas State by one point in the Sun Belt Tournament Championship to secure their fourth league tournament title and fifth NCAA Tournament bid.
Ronjanae DeGray earned All-Sun Belt First Team honors while seniors
Keanna Keys and
Monique Townson took Third Team honors.
Welcome, Welcome Newbies.
Gabby Dodson and
Antwainette Walker join the team as part of the 2018-19 recruiting class and
Krystan Vornes comes to Little Rock as a transfer from Tulsa. Dodson is a versatile 6-1 post from Fontainebleau High School in Mandeville, Louisiana. During her high school career, Dodson has been a First Team All-District player and has averaged 14.8 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game. Dodson has a 4.14 grade point average and plans to major in business administration at Little Rock. Walker is a 5-11 guard from Wheaton, Illinois, and currently plays at St. Francis High School. According to ESPN, Walker is a three-star recruit and ranks 109th nationally at her position. Over the course of her high school career, Walker has averaged 17.3 points per game, 9.2 rebounds per game and 3.7 steals per game. During her junior season, Walker scored over 1,000 points for St. Francis. Walker is a three-time DuPage All-Area Team member, a two-time All-State Honorable Mention, a three-time Lisle Holiday All-Tournament Team member and a two-time Willow Brook All-Tournament Team member. Vornes did not play her true freshman season and will not be eligible to compete until after the fall 2018 semester due to transfer rules. She was rated as a three-star recruit by ESPN and ranked as the 65th-best forward nationally in her class out of high school. She averaged 18.4 points, 12.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in her senior year at Osceola High School. Vornes played her freshman through junior seasons at East Poinsett County High School... During her sophomore season, she posted 20.8 points and 16.0 rebounds per game, and picked up 3A All-State and All-Conference accolades.
