Little Rock Hosts South Alabama Saturday at the Jack

OPENING TIP
Little Rock's weekend home stand continues Saturday when the Trojans welcome South Alabama to the Jack Stephens Center for the first time since 2017. Opening tip against the Jaguars will be at 3 p.m., streaming live on ESPN+ with Ben Creighton and U.S. Reed on the call. Live stats are available at TrojanStats.com with Ray Tucker carrying the radio call live on The Point 94.1 FM and online at KKPT.com.

STARTING FIVE
• Little Rock and South Alabama will meet for the 50th time Saturday with the Jaguars holding a 29-20 edge in the all-time series. The Trojans are 12-11 against the Jaguars in Little Rock.
• Rayjon Tucker continues to rank among the NCAA top-50 in five statistical categories, including ranking 22nd nationally in minutes played per game (36:42) and 25th in points per game (21.1)
• Little Rock remains one of the top field goal shooting teams in the NCAA, connecting on 49.3% on its shots from the floor to rank second in the Sun Belt Conference and 21st nationally.
• Markquis Nowell has been a key contributor since returning from an ankle injury, averaging 17 points, five assists and four rebounds in the last five games.
• The Trojans remain one of the top teams in the low post in the NCAA, out-dunking its opponents 66-32 on the year and averaging 34.6 points in the paint. Kris Bankston leads the team with 42 dunks on his 60 field goals on the year.

BACK IN THE BELT
The 2018-19 season marks Little Rock's 28th year as a member of the Sun Belt Conference, joining the league in the 1991-92 season. During that stretch, the Trojans have posted a 237-224 (.514) record in conference play, winning the 2016 Sun Belt regular season title to complement Little Rock's five divisional championships. South Alabama has been one of Little Rock's longest Sun Belt Conference foes as the two teams have squared off as conference rivals since the Trojans joined the league in 1991-92 as the two teams meet for the 50th time during that span.

HOME SWEET HOME
Since 2005, Little Rock has called the Jack Stephens Center home, and the venue has helped the Trojans become one of the Sun Belt's toughest home teams. Little Rock has posted a 129-72 overall record (.642) at the Jack and is 70-45 (609) in Sun Belt play, posting a winning record in 12 of the 13 seasons the Jack has served as the Trojans' home court.

MAKING IT COUNT
Through the first 16 games of the season, the Trojans are shooting 49.3% from the floor, ranking second in the Sun Belt and 15th nationally. Little Rock has shot better than 50% from the floor in nine of its first 16 contests, but are coming off a 40.3% performance against Troy Thursday, its second-lowest performance of the season. Four different Trojans are shooting at least 50% on the year, led by Kris Bankston's 83.3% shooting percentage (60-of-72).

IRON MAN
Redshirt junior Rayjon Tucker has been a mainstay on the court for Little Rock in 2018-19, averaging 36:42 of playing time to rank first in the Sun Belt and 22nd nationally in minutes played. Tucker has played 35 or more minutes in 12 of his 15 games, playing all 40 minutes against Troy Thursday night. Tucker ranks second in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring at 21.1 points per game (ranking 25th nationally) and ranks among the NCAA leaders in free throw attempts (24th - 113), free throws made (28th - 84) and total points (40th - 316).

DOUBLE FIGURE TUCKER
Rayjon Tucker has scored in double figures in each of the 15 games he has played in, surpassing the 20-point plateau seven times. His 15-straight games of 10+ points is the fourth-longest steak for the Trojans since the 2000-01 season as his 21.1 ppg average currently ranks as the third-highest season scoring average in program history. 

NOWELL PLAYING BIG
The smallest player on the roster, freshman Markquis Nowell has come up big in his freshman debut. Nowell led Little Rock with 16 points in the win over Troy, including 14 in the second half to help put the game away. Nowell ranks second on the team in scoring at 12.3 ppg, scoring in double figures in each of the last five games, while ranking fourth in the Sun Belt in assists per game (4.4) and sixth in steals (1.6).

KAMANI COMES THROUGH
Freshman Kamani Johnson picked a good time to have one of his best games in a Trojan uniform, registering a career-high 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting while pulling down seven rebounds in the win over Troy Thursday. It was Johnson's second double digit performance, surpassing the 10 points he scored at Georgetown, as the freshman ranks second on the team in field goal percentage at 57.4%.

WELCOME BACK, LOTTIE
Sophomore Jaizec Lottie returned to the Trojan lineup Thursday after missing the last three games with a hand injury, scoring nine points with three rebounds in 31 minutes. Lottie has been a mainstay in his two years for the Trojans, playing in 44 games with 42 starts, as he is currently tied with teammate Markquis Nowell for fourth in the Sun Belt in assists (4.4 apg) and sixth in steals (1.6 spg).

BALANCED SCORING
Four different Trojans finished in double figures in the win over Troy Thursday night, marking the eighth time this season four or more players have registered at least 10 points in the same game. The high water mark for Little Rock came against Howard when five Trojans scored in double figures in the 97-76 victory. Seven players are averaging over eight points a game this season with Rayjon Tucker (21.1), Markquis Nowell (12.3) and Nikola Maric (10.9) averaging in double digits.

THROW IT DOWN, BIG MEN
Little Rock is earning a reputation as one of the nation's top dunking teams as the Trojans have recorded 66 dunks through the first 15 games of the 2018-19 season, averaging 4.4 per game. Kris Bankston has become the poster boy for slams for Little Rock with 42 of his 60 field goals coming off dunks. Rayjon Tucker has thrown it down 16 times this season as the Trojans are out-dunking their opponents 66-32. 

FRESHMAN FOURSOME
Little Rock's freshman foursome have been called on early and often as the group of Markquis Nowell, Kamani Johnson, Horace Wyatt Jr. and Nikola Maric have started three of the Trojans' last four games. The freshmen have combined to play 1,238 of Little Rock's 3,250 minutes this season (38.1%), providing 448 of the Trojans' 1,240 points (36.1%). The group has accounted for 203 rebounds (35.7%) while combining for 42 of Little Rock's 80 starts in 2018-19 (52.5%).

LAST TIME OUT
Little Rock found itself in a substantial hole early against Troy Thursday, trailing by nine in the first half thanks to shooting just 25% from the floor. But the Trojans responded over the final 30 minutes, outscoring the Alabama Trojans 46-30 in the second half en route to the 73-59 win. Nowell provided the second half spark, scoring 14 of his 16 points in the final 20 minutes, as Little Rock turned the tables on Troy in the turnover department. After averaging over 20 turnovers in its last four games, Little Rock committed just 13 on the night and forced 23 from Troy, leading to a 27-10 edge in points off turnovers. 

SCOUTING THE JAGUARS
2018-19: 9-7 overall, 2-1 Sun Belt, 0-5 on the road
Last Three Games: L at Arkansas State (66-65); W vs. Coastal Carolina (84-77, 2OT); W vs. Appalachian State (79-73)
Series: South Alabama leads, 29-20 (.408) | Streak: USA won 1 | First: Jan. 16, 1992 (W, 85-74) | Last: Feb. 8, 2018 (L, 73-56) 
Head Coach: Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005). First season at South Alabama (9-7)
Key Players:
• #14 Rodrick Sikes (Sr., G): 15.1 ppg., 2.3 rpg., 39.5 FG%
• #33 Josh Ajayi (R-Jr., F): 14.5 ppg., 8.1 rpg., 54.1 FG%
• #0 Kory Holden (Gr., G): 14.0 ppg., 2.0 rpg., 41.0 FG%
• #42 Trhae Mitchell (R-Jr., F): 12.5 ppg., 6.4 rpg., 2.4 bpg., 53.1 FG%
• #1 Herb McGee (Jr., G): 6.6 ppg., 3.1 rpg., 38.2 FG%

LAST TIME vs. THE JAGUARS
A second half slump proved costly for Little Rock as South Alabama handed the Trojans a 73-56 loss at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Alabama on Thursday, February 8, 2018. Trailing by one late in the opening half, South Alabama hit a three-pointer at the buzzer, sparking a 12-0 run to start the second half to put the game away. Just one player scored in double figures for the Trojans who shot just 42.0% from the floor and 21.4% from three-point range.

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