LITTLE ROCK - Little Rock's Thanksgiving week home stand concludes Saturday when the Trojans welcome East Tennessee State to the Jack Stephens Center for the first time. Opening tip against the Buccaneers is set for 2 p.m. and will stream live on ESPN+ with Ben Creighton and former Little Rock head coach Steve Shields on the call.
"This is a very good team coming into the Jack Stephens Center Saturday," said Walker of ETSU. "They are consistently one of the top mid major teams in the country and have won a lot of games over the last few years. We will need to play one of our most complete games and it should be good game Saturday."
GAME STORYLINES
• After starting the year playing five of the first six games on the road, Little Rock continues 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.
• Saturday's game marks the first meeting between Little Rock and East Tennessee State. The game against the Buccaneers is the second of three games the Trojans will play against foes from the state of Tennessee, starting with Memphis on November 20 and concluding with Tennessee State on December 10.
• Little Rock has started the year 3-0 in games played at the Jack Stephens Center, the first time it has won its first three home games since the 2015-16 season when the Trojans went 15-0 on its home court.
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Markquis Nowell continues his frenetic pace to start the season for the Trojans, leading the team in both scoring (20.4 ppg) and minutes (39:13). He has scored 20 or more points in five of Little Rock's eight games while logging 40 minutes six times.
• The Trojans have had a player log a double-double in five-straight games.
Ruot Monyyong did so at Central Arkansas, at NC State and against St. Francis Brooklyn while
Kamani Johnson logged double-doubles at Memphis and against Alcorn State.
• Little Rock's defensive effort has frustrated opponents all season as each of the Trojans opponents have been held under their season scoring average. Little Rock has held its last six opponents to at least 10 points below their average.
• East Tennessee State head coach Steve Forbes is very familiar with the Natural State. Forbes is a 1988 graduate of Southern Arkansas where he played baseball for the Muleriders and spent one year as the department's sports information director before beginning his coaching career.
NEWS AND NOTES
SCOUTING THE BUCCANEERS
2019-20: 6-1 overall, 0-0 Southern
Last Three Games: W vs. Appalachian State (78-69), W vs. Southern Utah (70-58), W vs. Delaware State (98-66)
Head Coach: Steve Forbes (Southern Arkansas, 1988). Fifth season at ETSU (96-40); 11th season overall (272-100)
Key Players:
• #3 Bo Hodges (Jr., G): 15.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 57.3 FG%
• #1 Tray Boyd (Sr., G): 13.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 100.0 FT%
• #25 Lucas N'Guessan (Sr., C): 9.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 65.6 FG%
• #10 Patrick Good (R-Jr., G): 9.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 38.3 3FG%
• #5 Daivien Williamson (So., G): 8.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 3.4 apg
SERIES HISTORY
Little Rock and East Tennessee State meet for the first time Saturday afternoon. Little Rock is 39-12 (.765) all-time against current members of the Southern Conference, including 19-6 records against both Mercer and Samford, but will be playing its first game against the league since 1998. Against teams from the state of Tennessee, Little Rock is 28-34 (.452) and is 0-1 this year, falling at Memphis 68-58 on November 20.
ATOP THE SUN BELT
A handful of Trojans rank among the Sun Belt leaders in a number of statistical categories through the first eight games.
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IRON MAN MARKQUIS
One constant through the first seven games of Little Rock's 2019-20 season has been Markquis Nowell on the court for the Trojans. Nowell has played 314 of Little Rock's 320 minutes this season, ranking second nationally in minutes per game at 39:13. He has played all 40 minutes in six of the first eight games, logging 39 against Southwest Baptist.Â
DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROJANS
Little Rock has had a player post a double-double in each of the last five games, the last of which was Kamani Johnson's 17-point, 12-rebound performance against Alcorn State, setting career highs in both categories. Johnson broke through in the second half against the Braves, scoring 15 points and grabbing eight boards to help Little Rock pull away from Alcorn State.
DOMINATING THE BOARDS
Ruot Monyyong has emerged as one of the Sun Belt's top rebounders, leading the league averaging 9.3 per game. Monyyong has notched double digit rebounding totals in four games this season, including a career-high 14 at Central Arkansas, with 22 of his 52 boards coming on the offensive end.Â
BREAK IT OUT JOVAN
Jovan Stulic posted his best game in a Trojan uniform against Alcorn State, finishing with a career-high 11 points in 29 minutes. The freshman also set career-highs in field goals (3), three pointers (2), free throws (3), rebounds (6) and assists (3).
LOCK DOWN DEFENSE
One of the key reasons for Little Rock's success in the early part of the 2019-20 season has been its defense. The Trojans have held each of their first eight opponents under their season scoring average, holding four opponents to 19 or more points below what they typically score.
TROJAN DUNK TRACKER
Through eight games in 2019-20, Little Rock continues to make a name for itself above the rim. The Trojans have out-dunked their opponents 27-20 on the season, led by 16 from Ruot Monyyong and six from Kris Bankston. Only Memphis (8-3) and NC State (7-4) have outdunked the Trojans in a game this season as the other six opponents have combined for just five slams.
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 134-78 (.632) at the Jack. Little Rock is 3-0 at home this year, its best start at the Jack since the 15-0 2015-16 season, and has posted a winning record in the facility in 12 of its 14 seasons in its on-campus home.
JOINING THE 400 CLUB
With his 26 points against Alcorn State Wednesday, Markquis Nowell became the most productive scorerer on this year's roster, upping his career point total to 441. Nowell ranks third on the active roster in both games (33) and minutes (1,075) as Kris Bankston (64) and Jaizec Lottie (1,703) hold those marks, joining Nowell in the career 400-point club.
SECOND HALF SURGE
Little Rock has played its best basketball in the second half of games this season, outscoring the opposition 309-249 for a +60 point differential, including a 37-21 edge against Alcorn State Wednesday. The first half has been a challenge for the Trojans who have a -22 point differential, being outscored 255-231 in the opening 20 minutes of games.
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