LITTLE ROCK - After starting the year playing five of the first six games on the road, Little Rock begins a stretch where it will play four of its next five at the Jack Stephens Center, including three-straight in the span of five days. That run begins with St. Francis Brooklyn Tuesday, November 26, tipping at 6:30 p.m
"It will be good for us to be home and hopefully have some decent crowds," said head coach
Darrell Walker. "This team has been on the road for a while and faced some hostile crowds. These next two weeks will be key for us as we have a few home games to lead us into Sun Belt Conference play."
GAME STORYLINES
• The game against St. Francis Brooklyn is the continuation of the 2019 Barclays Center Classic, a multi-team event comprised of Little Rock, St. Francis Brooklyn, Memphis, NC State and Alcorn State.
• 2019 marks the third-straight year the Trojans have served as the home venue for a portion of a Thanksgiving week tournament, doing so in both 2017 (Grand Canyon Classic) and 2018 (Continental Tire Las Vegas Holiday Classic).
• Little Rock and St. Francis Brooklyn have never met before as Tuesday's game marks the Trojans' second game in program history against a member of the Northeast Conference and ninth against a team from the state of New York.
• Little Rock has had a player finish with a double-double in three consecutive games as
Ruot Monyyong accomplished the feat against both Central Arkansas (Nov. 17) and NC State (Nov. 23), broken up by
Kamani Johnson's at Memphis (Nov. 20).
• Tuesday's game more than likely will be a record for the Jack Stephens Center as eight players from the state of New York will comprise the two rosters. Little Rock has a pair in
Markquis Nowell (Harlem) and
Kamani Johnson (Brooklyn) with six Terriers hailing from the Empire State.
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Markquis Nowell leads the NCAA in minutes per game, averaging 39:45 through six games. He is part of a one-two duo for Little Rock that is a constant on the floor as Kyra Collier of the Trojan women's team is ninth nationally in minutes played, averaging 38:45 per game.
NEWS AND NOTES
SCOUTING THE TERRIERS
2019-20: 2-3 overall, 0-0 Northeast Conference
Last Three Games: W vs. Medgar Evers (122-58), L at NC State (95-64), L at Longwood (86-77)
Head Coach:Â Glenn Braica (Queens College, 1989). 10th season at SFC and overall (134-155)
Key Players:
• #4 Chauncey Hawkins (Jr., G): 16.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 51.8 FG%
• #3 Rob Higgins (Fr., G): 10.2 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 41.3 FG%
• #14 Unique McLean (Gr., G): 9.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 42.2 FG%
• #33 Deniz Celen (Sr., F): 8.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 56.3 FG%
• #1 Stevan Krtinic (So., G): 8.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 87.5 FT%
LIMITED HISTORY
Little Rock has a limited history against both the Northeast Conference and teams from the state of New York as the Trojans and Terriers meet for the first time Tuesday. Little Rock is 0-2 all-time against current NEC members, falling to Long Island 95-77 in December of 1980 and dropped a 78-64 decision to Robert Morris at the Jack Stephens Center on Nov. 25, 2017. The Terriers mark the fifth team in program history from the state of New York to face Little Rock with the last a 68-65 win over Saint Bonaventure at the Lone Star Showcase on Nov. 21, 2016.
ATOP THE SUN BELT
A handful of Trojans rank among the Sun Belt leaders in a number of statistical categories.
Markquis Nowell is first in assists (5.3), steals (3.3) and minutes played (39.8) while ranking second in scoring (18.2) and free throw percentage (92.0%).
Ruot Monyyong leads the league in rebounding (8.3) and is fifth in blocks (2.7) with
Ben Coupet Jr. fourth in field goal percentage (54.5%), ninth in rebounding (6.5) and third in minutes (37.7).
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 239 of Little Rock's 240 minutes this season, ranking first nationally in minutes per game at 39:45. He has played all 40 minutes in five of the first six games, sitting for a grand total of 90 seconds all year.
CONSISTENT COUPET
Ben Coupet Jr. has scored in double figures in each of his first six games as a Trojan, finishing with a career-high 21 at NC State on 9-of-14 shooting. He played all 40 minutes for the second straight game and ranks 13th nationally in minutes per game (37:40). Coupet is second on the Trojans in scoring (14.8) and is third in rebounding (6.5), shooting 54.5% from the floor and 47.6% from three-point range.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE RUOT
Ruot Monyyong posted his second double-double of the season at NC State, finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds while playing 38 minutes. He has come on strong for the Trojans in the early part of the season, averaging 16.3 points and 11 rebounds and nearly 37 minutes over the last three games as he leads the Sun Belt in rebounding at 8.3 per game.
IMPROVEMENT FROM THE STRIPE
Kamani Johnson has posted one of the greatest improvements from the free throw line among the Trojans in 2019-20. After shooting 50.8% in his freshman season, Johnson is 23-of-28 at the charity stripe this season, making 82.1% of his attempts. Entering Tuesday's game, Johnson has made 14 straight free throws, dating back to the Southwest Baptist game.
TROJAN DUNK TRACKER
Through six games in 2019-20, Little Rock continues to make a name for itself above the rim. The Trojans have out-dunked their opponents 22-18 on the season, led by 13 from
Ruot Monyyong and six from
Kris Bankston. Playing against tall, physical teams, the Trojans conceded a combined 15 dunks to both Memphis (eight) and NC State (seven), limiting their first four opponents to just three total.
(DON'T) TAKE IT OUTSIDE
Three point shooting has been a struggle for Little Rock in 2019-20 as the Trojans are making just 26.3% of its shots from beyond the arc (25-of-95), ranking 323rd nationally. Little Rock is 339th in three point field goals per game (4.2) as the Trojans made just four of their 18 attempts at NC State Saturday afternoon.
CLOSING IN ON 400
With his eight points at NC State Saturday,
Markquis Nowell upped his career point total to 387 and is 13 points shy of becoming the third player on the roster to reach 400 career points, joining
Jaizec Lottie (428) and
Kris Bankston (403). He also joined the pair as just the third Trojan on this year's roster to log 1,000 minutes in a Trojan uniform, sitting at exactly 1,000 for his Little Rock career.
SECOND HALF SURGE
Little Rock has played its best basketball in the second half of games this season, outscoring the opposition 241-199 for a +42 point differential. The first half has been a challenge for the Trojans who have a -34 point differential, being outscored 199-165 in the opening 20 minutes of games.
HOME SWEET HOME
The 2019-20 season marks Little Rock's 15th at the Jack Stephens Center since the facility opened in 2005, as the Trojans have posted an overall record of 132-78 (.629) at the Jack. Little Rock is 1-0 at home this year, thanks to its 77-59 win over Southwest Baptist on November 14, and has posted a winning record in the facility in 12 of its 14 seasons in its on-campus home.
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