| Game 25: Little Rock at South Alabama |
| Date |
Thursday, February 8, 2018 |
| Time |
7:05 p.m. CT |
| Location |
Mobile, Ala. |
| Arena |
Mitchell Center |
| Records |
Little Rock (5-19, 2-9 SBC)
South Alabama (11-12, 4-5 SBC) |
| Watch |
JagNationTV |
| Radio |
The Point 94.1 FM |
| Stats |
TrojanStats.com |
| Notes |
Little Rock | South Alabama |
OPENING TIP
Little Rock begins a challenging end to the regular season this week as the Trojans will play five of their final seven games away from the Jack Stephens Center. That stretch begins Thursday in Mobile, Alabama, facing South Alabama at 7:05 p.m. Live video is available for a cost at
JagNationTV as Ray Tucker will have the call between the Trojans and the Jaguars from the Mitchell Center on The Point 94.1 FM and online at
KKPT.com.
HERE WE GO AGAIN
Little Rock's challenging road schedule continues this weekend as the Trojans will add another state to their growing travelogue. Alabama will be the 11th 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) and South Carolina (Coastal Carolina). To date, the Trojans have racked up over 10,000 miles traveled on the year, adding over 1,100 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 12 road opponents have a combined record of 162-105 (.607) as 10 of the 12 currently sit at .500 or better on the season. Seven of the Trojans' road foes have registered at least 15 victories, led by Mississippi State and Georgia State with 18, with Grand Canyon and Bradley each at 17 victories, Georgia Southern at 16 and San Diego winning 15 games in 2017-18. Memphis and Sam Houston State both currently sit at 14 wins on the year.
PREVIEWING THE JAGUARS
2017-18: 11-12 overall, 4-5 Sun Belt Conference (T-8th), 9-2 at home
Last Three Games: L at Troy (80-63), L at ULM (83-74), L at Louisiana (76-57)
Head Coach: Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998). Fifth season at South Alabama (62-100, .383).
SOUTH ALABAMA SCOUTING REPORT
South Alabama enters Thursday's game on a three-game losing streak, extending their road record in 2017-18 to 0-10. But the Jaguars have been tough to beat at home, posting a 9-2 record at the Mitchell Center. South Alabama ranks second in the league in both three-point field goal defense  (30.7%) and blocked shots per game (4.2), holding opponents to just 68.0 points per game. The Jaguars average 68.6 points per game, 10th in the Sun Belt, ranking last in the league in field goal percentage (42.3%). Rodrick Sikes is South Alabama's leading scorer, averaging 18.5 points per game and leading the team with 63 three-pointers made, with Josh Ajayi averaging 12.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
SERIES HISTORY
Little Rock and South Alabama meet for the 49th time Thursday as the two teams have met annually as Sun Belt Conference foes since 1992. The Jaguars hold a 28-20 lead in the all-time series, but the Trojans have had the upper hand as of late, winning the last four meetings between the two. Little Rock took the only game between the two last season, a 62-57 win at the Mitchell Center on March 2, 2017, upping the Trojans' all-time record in Mobile to 7-12.
LAST TIME OUT
Little Rock scored the first five points of the game, but Georgia State quickly took control, dominating the Trojans in an 81-51 victory Saturday at the Jack Stephens Center. Little Rock shot just 36.7 percent from the floor and 38.9 percent from the free throw line and had no answer for the Panthers' Devin Mitchell, who set Jack Stephens Center records with 10 three-pointers and 38 points on the evening.
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 693-578 in points in the paint through 24 games this season, averaging 28.9 points in the key per game and accounting for 45.3% % of their offensive production. Little Rock has held the advantage in 16 of its 24 games this season, including a 25+ point differential against Ouachita Baptist (48-20), Norfolk State (38-10) and Ozarks (46-10).
ON YOUR MARC-US
Junior
Ben Marcus has quietly emerged as a reliable presence in the paint for Little Rock this season. Marcus has made 55 of his 74 shots on the year, a 74.3 percent shooting average, which would lead the Sun Belt if he had met the minimum. The Pine Bluff native currently would shatter the Trojans' single season field goal percentage record of .650, set by Ryan Moss in 1997-98, but needs to take 16 more shots over the final eight-plus games of the season to reach the 90 field goals attempted minimum.
SWEET HOME ALABAMA
This weekend will mark a homecoming for
Camron Reedus and
Cezanne Carson, the two Alabama natives on the Trojan roster. Reedus was an All-State selection at Austin High School in Decatur, Alabama while Carson earned honorable mention All-State accolades at Huffman High School in Birmingham. Additionally, the trip to Alabama marks a return for head coach
Wes Flanigan who was an All-SEC player at Auburn and still ranks second all-time in career assists for the Tigers.
HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING
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 1,547 minutes already this season, accounting for 31.7% of the Trojans' 4,875 minutes. The freshmen foursome enter the game Thursday averaging 19.3 points per game, which is 30.2% of Little Rock's offensive production, as Lottie, Hadzic and Bankston have combined for 42 starts this season.
HEARTBREAK HOTEL
Little Rock's youth has been telling down the stretch in close games this season as the Trojans are 0-6 in games in which there has been a one possession differential in the final minute of the game, including two overtime defeats and two games in which Little Rock has lost on an opposing basket at the buzzer. Aiding those defeats has been the Trojans' struggles from the free throw line as the Trojans currently rank 350th in free throw percentage (60.4%) among the 351 NCAA Division I teams.
PLAYING CATCH-UP
In the Trojans' five victories in 2017-18, Little Rock has held the lead for an average of 33:42 and has not trailed at any point in each of the last three wins over University of the Ozarks, ULM and UT Arlington. On the flip side, in the games the Trojans have lost this season, Little Rock has held the lead for an average of 7:49 and has found itself trailing by double digits on 14 occasions. Falling behind has proven costly for the Trojans this season as Little Rock has not won a game in which it has trailed at any point since rallying from 16-points down to defeat Central Arkansas 71-65 on November 29, 2017.
SEEKING THEIR ROAD TOUCH
The Trojans head to Alabama in search of their first victory away from the Jack this season. Little Rock is 0-11 in road games this season, extending its winless streak in true road games to 12-straight, while winning just one of its last 20 in enemy territory. Little Rock's last win away from the Jack Stephens Center came in a 62-57 against South Alabama in Mobile on March 2, 2017.
OFF THE SCHNEID
Little Rock is hoping to find a win in Alabama this weekend and bring to an end its six-game losing streak. The six-game skid is tied for the longest since the Trojans lost six-straight from February 6-25, 2010, coming on the heels of an eight-game losing streak earlier that season. The task may seem somewhat daunting for the Trojans who have lost 13-straight games away from the Jack Stephens Center, as Little Rock plays five of its final seven regular season games on the road.
TROJAN WAR
Following Little Rock's game at South Alabama Thursday, the Trojans will make the 170-mile trip to Troy, Alabama, for the yearly Battle of the Trojans. Little Rock and Troy tip at 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, February 10 from the Trojan Arena.Â
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