LITTLE ROCK – Four Trojans finished in double figures, led by 22 points from
Deondre Burns, as Little Rock raced out to an early lead and never looked back, routing South Alabama 91-62 Saturday afternoon at the Jack Stephens Center.
The win is Little Rock's second-straight Sun Belt victory, improving to 2-2 in league play and 7-10 overall. South Alabama drops to 9-8 on the year and matches Little Rock's 2-2 Sun Belt record.
Burns' offensive production helped spark an offensive showcase for Little Rock as the Trojans shot 61.2% from the floor, including going 64.3% in the first half. Burns came off the bench to knock down seven of his nine shots, including three of four from beyond the arc, and hitting all five free throws. The redshirt junior also pulled down seven boards for the Trojans, one of three players to reach that mark.
Jaizec Lottie tied his career-high with 17 points off the bench, helping the Trojans to a commanding 47-7 edge in bench scoring. Lottie hit seven of his 10 attempts and went 3-for-5 from three with three assists and three steals.
Nikola Maric was solid inside for Little Rock, finishing with 14 points while hitting seven of his nine free throw attempts.
Kamani Johnson set a new career-high for the second time in as many games, finishing with 12 points and seven rebounds while going 6-for-9 from the floor.
Markquis Nowell finished with eight points and a game-high six assists while
Rayjon Tucker added six points and seven rebounds, marking the first time in his Trojan career he failed to reach double digits in points and ending a 15-game streak of finishing in double figures.
Little Rock dominated across the board, outscoring South Alabama 40-24 in the paint, 26-13 in points off turnovers and 11-9 in second chance points. The Trojans held the Jaguars to 40.0% from the floor and 29.2% from beyond the arc, out-rebounding South Alabama 32-28.
Seeking back-to-back Sun Belt Conference wins for the first time since the 2016-17 season, Little Rock jumped out to an early 8-0 lead in the first two minutes, setting the tone for the afternoon. Johnson opened the game with a dunk just 17 seconds in to spark the Little Rock offense.
South Alabama was able to close the gap to three at 10-7 at the 16:02 mark, but that was as close as the Jaguars were able to claw as the Trojans kept South Alabama at bay. Leading 21-17 at the midway point of the opening half, Little Rock put together a 9-2 run, extending its lead to 11 at 30-19 to force a Jaguar timeout.
After seeing South Alabama pull to within seven at 34-27 with just over six minutes to go, the Trojan offense clicked into overdrive. Little Rock would knock down 10 of its next 12 shots and use an 18-0 run to put itself firmly in control, leading 52-27 late in the first half and take a 52-32 lead into the locker room.
Over the opening 20 minutes, all eight Trojans that saw action scored with Burns (11), Johnson (10) and Lottie (10) each finishing the first half in double figures. Little Rock shot 64.3% from the floor and knocked down 13 of its 18 free throw attempts, forcing 12 Jaguar turnovers.
A sloppy start to the second half allowed South Alabama to get back to within 17 at 56-39, but Little Rock took away any doubt with an 8-2 run following, extending its lead to 23 at 64-41. The Trojans maintained a 20-point cushion for the remainder of the game, extending their lead to as many as 31 at 83-52 with just under six minutes remaining.
South Alabama never threatened over the final 30 minutes of play as the Trojans cruise to the 29-point victory, its largest of the season. The win also marked the first time Little Rock never trailed in a game this season, holding the lead for 39:37 of game time.
The win gives the Trojans some confidence as they get set to head back on the road, preparing for two big Sun Belt showdowns in the Lone Star state. The road swing begins in San Marcos Thursday when Little Rock takes on Texas State in a 7 p.m. tip.
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