LITTLE ROCK - Little Rock's three game road swing continues Wednesday when the Trojans make the east up I-40 to Memphis, Tennessee, taking on the 16th ranked Tigers. The game tips at 7 p.m. at the FedEx Forum and will stream on ESPN3.
"We've got a big challenge on our hands Wednesday, no question," said head coach
Darrell Walker. "They're getting a lot of media attention for what Penny (Hardaway) has put together up there and will be one of the most talented teams we face. But our team is pretty battle tested on the road at this point. We had the lead late in the game against them last year so I don't think our team will be too phased by the big stage. It should be an exciting game."
GAME STORYLINES
• Little Rock and Memphis have met seven times previously with the Tigers winning all seven. Six of the meetings have occurred in Memphis as the teams will meet for the fourth time in six seasons. The lone game away from the Tigers' home court was the 2009 game at now Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock.
• Little Rock enters the game at 3-1 on the year, its best record through four games since the 2016-17 season when it started the year 9-2. The Trojans have won two of their first three games away from the Jack Stephens Center, the first time that has happened since 2016-17 as well.
• Markquis Nowell enters Wednesday's game as the Sun Belt Conference's leader in points (21.3), minutes (39.8), free throw percentage (94.1%), assists (5.8) and steals (3.5). The 5-7 point guard was named the conference's Player of the Week Tuesday, marking the first Trojan to earn the honor since Josh Hagins in December of 2015.
• Wednesday's game features a similar storyline from a coaching standpoint as former NBA veterans Darrell Walker and Penny Hardaway are both in their second seasons with their respective teams. The two never went head-to-head against each other in the NBA, however, as Walker retired in the summer of 1993, months before Hardaway's rookie season.
• Wednesday night will also be a homecoming for first year Trojan assistant coach Preston Laird, who played for the Tigers from 2008-11. A Memphis native, Laird appeared in 38 games for the Tigers and was freshman on the 2008-09 team that reached the Sweet 16 under former head coach John Calipari.
NEWS AND NOTES
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
2019-20: 3-1 overall, 0-0 American
Last Three Games: W vs. Alcorn State (102-56), L at Oregon (82-74), W vs. Illinois-Chicago (92-46)
Head Coach:Â Penny Hardaway (Memphis, 2003). 2nd season at Memphis (25-15); 2nd season overall (25-15)
Key Players:
• #11 Lester Quinones (Fr., G): 12.8 ppg, 4.8 reb., 92.3 FT%
• #55 Precious Achiuwa (Fr., F): 12.3 ppg, 6.8 reb., 54.5 FG%
• #0 D.J. Jeffries (Fr., F): 11.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 58.1 FG%
• #5 Boogie Ellis (Fr., G): 10.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg., 8 stls.
• #1 Tyler Harris (So., G): 7.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 85.7 FT%
LAST TIMEÂ vs. TIGERS
Little Rock gave Memphis all it could handle on its home court, fighting back from numerous deficits and holding an 86-84 lead with under four minutes to play. But Memphis ended the game on a 15-2 run to outlast the Trojans 99-89 on Dec. 19, 2018 at the FedEx Forum. Four players scored in double figures for Little Rock, led by 29 from Rayjon Tucker and 14 each from Nikola Maric and Jaizec Lottie.
ATOP THE SUN BELT
Sophomore point guard Markquis Nowell was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week after averaging 22.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 4.5 steals in a pair of victories last week. Through the first two weeks of the season, Nowell leads the conference in scoring (21.3), minutes played (39.8), free throw percentage (94.1), assists (5.8) and steals (3.8).
IRON MAN MARKQUIS
One constant through the first three games of Little Rock's 2019-20 season has been Markquis Nowell on the court for the Trojans. Nowell has played 159 of Little Rock's 160 minutes this season, ranking fourth nationally in minutes per game (39.8). The sophomore scored 25 points against Central Arkansas Sunday, the seventh 20-point performance of his Little Rock career and his third of the 2019-20 season.
TROJAN DUNK TRACKER
Through four games in 2019-20, Little Rock continues to make a name for itself above the rim. The Trojans have out-dunked their opponents 15-3 on the season, led by seven from Ruot Monyyong and six from Kris Bankston. Bankston's six slams on the year ups his career total to 93.Â
2019-20 TROJAN DUNKS
• Missouri State - 0 - None
• Illinois State - 4 - Monyyong (3), Bankston
• Southwest Baptist - 8 - Bankston (5), Monyyong (2), Coupet Jr.
• Central Arkansas - 3 Monyyong (2), Coupet Jr.
MAKING IMPROVEMENTS
The Trojans have made improvements from the free throw line as Little Rock is shooting 72.% (54-of-76) on the season, ranking 118th nationally. That is a significant improvement from the past two years when Little Rock ranked 324th in 2018-19 (65.6%) and 349th in 2017-18 (61.0%).
STRUGGLES FROM THE ARC
Three point shooting has been a struggle for Little Rock in 2019-20 as the Trojans are making just 26.9% of its shots from beyond the arc (18-of-67), ranking 300th nationally. Little Rock is coming off its best three-point shooting performance of the season making 6-of-18 (33.3%) at Central Arkansas Sunday.
AGAINST THE AMERICAN
Little Rock has a limited history with the American Athletic Conference, posting a 9-17 (.346) record against current members. Tulsa has been the most frequent opponent with 11 meetings, followed by the seven against Memphis. In addition to the five wins over the Golden Hurricanes, the Trojans have a pair of wins over SMU and one each against East Carolina and Houston.
FACING THE BEST
When Little Rock tips at Memphis Wednesday night, it will mark the 13th game for the Trojans against a ranked foe since the 2000-01 season. Entering the week 16th in the AP Top 25, Memphis faces Little Rock for the second time as a ranked opponent during that span, sitting at 23rd in 2008 when the Tigers bested the Trojans 59-51 in Memphis.
ROAD WARRIORS
Little Rock's game at Memphis marks the fifth road trip in six games, including the exhibition game at Arkansas on October 20. The month of November alone takes the Trojans to five different states (Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina), racking up over 4,000 miles of travel.
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