OPENING TIP
Little Rock closes out its 2017-18 regular season with a pair of games in Louisiana. The first leg of the trip takes the Trojans to Monroe for a 7 p.m. meeting with ULM on Thursday, March 1.
Live video and
live stats of the game are available at ULMWarhakws.com. Ray Tucker will have the call of the Trojans and Warhawks from Fant-Ewing Coliseum on The Point 94.1 FM and online at
KKPT.com, getting underway at approximately 6:45 p.m.
HERE WE GO AGAIN
Little Rock's challenging road schedule continues this weekend as the Trojans will add another state to their growing travelogue. Louisiana will be the 12th different state Little Rock will have played a road game this season, comprised of Tennessee (Memphis), Arizona (Grand Canyon), California (San Diego), Arkansas (Central Arkansas), Illinois (Bradley), Texas (Sam Houston State), Mississippi (Mississippi State), Georgia (Georgia State and Georgia Southern), North Carolina (Appalachian State), South Carolina (Coastal Carolina) and Alabama (South Alabama and Troy). Â To date, the Trojans have racked up over 11,500 miles traveled on the year, adding over 700 miles this weekend.
TOUGH ROAD TO HOE
Not only has Little Rock's road games taken them across the country, the Trojans have faced some tough challenges along the way. Little Rock's 16 road opponents have a combined record of 269-199 (.575) as 10 of the 16 currently boast winning records. Nine of the Trojans' road foes have registered at least 18 victories, led by Louisiana's 25 victories as Mississippi State (21) and Georgia State (20) have also reached the 20-win plateau. Grand Canyon and Bradley both have registered 19 victories with Memphis, San Diego, Sam Houston State and Georgia Southern each at 18.
PREVIEWING THE WARHAWKS
2017-18: 14-13 overall, 8-8 Sun Belt Conference (T-5th), 11-3 at home
Last Three Games: L at Troy (73-67); W at South Alabama (66-62); W vs. Texas State (79-71)
Head Coach: Keith Richard (ULM, 1982). Eighth season at ULM (91-155, .370); 17th season overall (241-272, .470)
ULM SCOUTING REPORT
ULM enters Thursday's game at 14-13 on the year and 8-8 in Sun Belt Conference play, currently tied for fifth in the league standings. The Warhawks have been tough at home, posting an 11-3 record, and average 70.8 points per game while allowing just 69.0, ranking fourth in the Sun Belt. ULM is one of the top free throw shooting teams, ranking third at 71.6 percent, and are also efficient from beyond the arc at 36.9 percent, which also ranks third. The Warhawks have four players that average in double figures, led by Travis Munning's 16.1 ppg while averaging 7.3 rebounds per game. Sam McDaniel (15.6 ppg), Michael Ertel (11.4 ppg) and Marvin Jean-Pierre (10.7 ppg) also add firepower to ULM's offensive attack.
SERIES HISTORY
Little Rock and ULM meet for the 32nd time Sunday afternoon as the Trojans hold a 17-14 edge in the all-time series. Beginning in 1954-55 (an 83-81 ULM win in Little Rock), the two teams have squared off annually since the 2006-07 season when ULM joined the Sun Belt Conference. Little Rock has won four of the last six meetings, including the 70-62 victory on New Years Eve at the Jack Stephens Center. The Trojans are 6-8 all-time in Monroe and have dropped their last four games at Fant-Ewing Coliseum, with the last victory coming in 2013.Â
LAST TIME OUT
Jaizec Lottie just missed his first career double-double, finishing with 17 points and nine rebounds, and helped Little Rock take a one-point lead with 1:33 to go. But Appalachian State scored six of the next eight points, pulling in front for the final time to hand the Trojans a 69-67 defeat Thursday. The loss came despite holding the Mountaineers to just 10-of-27 from beyond the three-point arc and outrebounding the Sun Belt's top rebounding team 30-26.
TROJANS-WARHAWKS, PART ONE
Three Trojans scored in double figures as Little Rock raced out to a sizable first half lead and never looked back, defeating ULM 71-62 on New Year's Eve for their first Sun Belt victory of the season. Little Rock led by as many as 15 in the first half, taking a 36-24 lead into halftime. ULM pulled to within two at 39-37 in the second half, but the Trojans distanced themselves from the Warhawks as nine different players scored in the win.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
The four true freshmen on Little Rock's 2017-18 roster haven't had much time to settle into things as all four have been relied upon early and often. The quartet of
Cameron Corcoran,
Jaizec Lottie,
Damir Hadzic and
Kris Bankston have combined to play 1,911 minutes already this season, accounting for 32.5% of the Trojans' 5,875 minutes. The freshmen foursome enter the game Saturday averaging 20.6 points per game, which is 32.1% of Little Rock's offensive production. The freshmen have combined for 52 starts this season as Lottie (199) and Corcoran (196) lead the team in points.
CONTROLLING THE PAINT
One area that has become Little Rock's strength in 2017-18 has been its play under the basket. The Trojans have outscored their opponents 837-712 in points in the paint through 29 games this season, averaging 28.9 points in the key per game and accounting for 45.0% of their offensive production. Little Rock has held the advantage in 19 of its 29 games this season, including a 25+ point differential against Ouachita Baptist (48-20), Norfolk State (38-10) and Ozarks (46-10).
BALANCING THE ROCK
If nothing else, Little Rock's offensive production defines the word "balanced" in 2017-18. Seven different Trojans are averaging between 7.3 and 6.3 points per game, led by
Anthony Black,
Ryan Pippins and
Camron Reedus all sitting at 7.3 ppg.
Cameron Corcoran ranks fourth on the team at 7.0 points per game, followed by
Jaizec Lottie (6.9 ppg),
Ben Marcus (6.4 ppg) and
Oliver Black (6.3 ppg) as 10 different Trojans have been the team's leading scorer this season.
PLAYING CATCH-UP
In the Trojans' six victories in 2017-18, Little Rock has held the lead for an average of 29:04 and has not trailed at any point in three of the six victories. On the flip side, in the games the Trojans have lost this season, Little Rock has held the lead for an average of 9:05 and has found itself trailing by double digits on 16 occasions. Falling behind has proven costly for the Trojans this season as Little Rock has won just three games this season in which it trailed at any point during the game.
STARTING A STREAK
Little Rock is hoping to build a winning streak on the road this weekend, building off the momentum from the 82-79 win in Jonesboro on February 17 that snapped a 14-game road losing skid. The Trojans have struggled to emerge victorious in enemy territory, winning just two of their last 21 games away from the Jack Stephens Center and are seeking their first win in Louisiana since defeating the Warhawks in the 2016 Sun Belt Conference tournament, earning their historic berth in the NCAA tournament that season.
SHOOTING 70
Like in golf, the score of 70 has become a benchmark for Little Rock this season, just on a different spectrum. The Trojans are 6-2 this season in games where they reach 70 points, including a 5-1 mark in games where Little Rock reaches 71 points. Â On the flip side, Little Rock is 0-22 in games in which the Trojans score 69 points or fewer.
SCATTERED STARTS
Nearly every player on the Little Rock roster has had an opportunity to start a game in 2017-18 with 13 Trojans registering at least one start this season. Little Rock has posted 11 different starting lineup combinations this season, as
Jaizec Lottie has been the constant in the lineup, starting 28 of the Trojans' 29 games this season.
Oliver Black is the only other current Trojan with over 20 starts in 2017-18, sitting at 26 on the year.
CHALLENGE AT THE CHAMPS
Little Rock closes out the 2017-18 regular season with quite the test, facing Sun Belt Conference champion Louisiana on Saturday, March 3 at the Cajundome in Lafayette. Tip-off against the Ragin' Cajuns is set for 7 p.m., serving as the final warm-up for the Sun Belt Conference tournament in New Orleans, being held March 7-11.
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