MEMPHIS – Kyra Collier led Little Rock with 15 points as the Trojans held off a late Memphis comeback to leave the Roane Fieldhouse with a 63-30 win, its seventh straight against the Tigers and the fourth when playing in Memphis.
Ronjanae DeGray and
Teal Battle added 11 and 10 points, respectively, while
Raeyana DeGray and
Sydney Chastain individually logged nine and eight points. Collier paced the team on the glass with five boards and eight other Trojans also secured at least one rebound. Chastain and
Terrion Moore each dished out five assists.
The Trojans started out the game down, but quickly gained control of the game on the defensive side of the court, vaulting themselves into the lead. In the first quarter, Little Rocks defense secured six defensive rebounds and had forced six steals. Chastain led the scoring effort in the opening 10 minutes, including going two-of-two from the three-point line.
Collier scored the six points for Little Rock in the first four minutes of the second quarter when she had a fast break bucket, drained two foul shots and floated one in the lane. Little Rock's luck on the offensive end would be tested as the Tigers' defense held them scoreless for more than two minutes in two different spans. The Trojans would hold the upper hand 32-30 going into the half.
The offensive woes went away in the third quarter as Little Rock tallied 19 points, the second most in a third period this season, 8 of them coming to close the quarter while also blanking the Tigers in that same time frame.
Memphis would fight back in the fourth quarter, outscoring Little Rock 23-12 to bring themselves within three points, but the Trojans would stave off the rally to move to 4-6 on the year.
Little Rock's season continues Sunday Dec. 30 in Springfield, Mo. as the Trojans take on Missouri State at 2 p.m.
