LITTLE ROCK - After nearly a two-week holiday hiatus, Little Rock opens the 2020 calendar year with the start of a key home stand Thursday, hosting Texas State at the Jack Stephens Center. Opening tip against the Bobcats is set for 6:30 p.m. with the game being streamed live on ESPN+.
"This is a big home stand for our team as we look to make some noise early in the (Sun Belt) Conference race," said head coach
Darrell Walker. "It was good to get the time off to get the bodies some rest and prepare for the grind as we head into league play."
GAME STORYLINES
• The Trojans begin a challenging stretch playing four of their first five games of 2020 at the Jack Stephens Center. Those four games are against the projected top four teams in the preseason Sun Belt Conference standings - Texas State (4th), UT Arlington (2nd), Georgia Southern (3rd) and South Alabama (1st).
• Little Rock and Texas State meet for the 15th time with the Trojans holding an 8-6 lead in the all-time series. Texas State has won the last four meetings between the two, including sweeping the season series in 2018-19. The Trojans are 5-2 all-time against the Bobcats in Little Rock and 4-2 at the Jack.
• The Trojans are 4-1 on their home court in 2019-20, its best start through the first five games since going a perfect 14-0 in 2015-16.
• Little Rock opened the year 2-0 in Sun Belt Conference play after sweeping the Monroe-Lafayette trip for the first time since 2009. The Trojans are seeking their first 3-0 start in league play since winning the first five Sun Belt games in 2015-16.
• Stamina and health will be key for the Trojans as Little Rock's game Thursday against Texas State marks a stretch of five games in 10 games, including a road trip to Troy, Alabama.
• Little Rock ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in scoring defense, holding opponents to 65.2 points per game. The Trojans have held 11 of their first 13 opponents under their season scoring average, including holding four opponents to 19 or more points under their season average.
NEWS AND NOTES
SCOUTING THE BOBCATS
2019-20: 7-6 overall, 0-2 Sun Belt Conference
Last Three Games: L at Georgia State (81-69); L at Georgia Southern (67-64); W vs. Bethany College (117-65)
Head Coach: Danny Kaspar (North Texas, 1981). 7th season at TXST (105-104); 27th season overall (570-297)
Key Players:
• #22 Nijal Pearson (Sr., G): 17.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 42.9 FG%
• #12 Mason Harrell (So., G): 10.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 84.6 FT%
• #45 Eric Terry (Sr., F): 8.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.2 bpg
• #2 Caleb Asberry (So., G): 7.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 84.6 FT%
• #1 Isaiah Small (Jr., F): 7.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 50.6 FG%
LAST WE MET
Texas State used a 15-0 run midway through the first half, keeping the Trojans off the scoreboard for nearly six minutes, building a lead Little Rock would be unable to overcome in a 67-60 loss at the Jack Stephens Center February 16.
Rayjon Tucker led the Trojans with 20 points while
Nikola Maric added 17.
DOING IT ALL
Markquis Nowell has been the face of the Trojan program early in the season, leading the team in scoring (19.8), free throw percentage (87.0%), assists (4.6), steals (2.7) and minutes (37.1) while ranking second in three point percentage (40.2%)and fourth in both field goal percentage (47.8%) and rebounds (3.7). The two-time Sun Belt Player of the Week has scored 20 or more points in eight of the Trojans' first 13 games.
ATOP THE SUN BELT
A handful of Trojans rank among the Sun Belt leaders in a number of statistical categories heading into the 2020 calendar year.Â
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NATIONAL PRAISE
Markquis Nowell's performance on the year has him among the national leaders in a number of categories, ranking sixth in total steals (35), 10th in steals per game (2.69), 14th in minutes per game (37:02) and 29th in total points (258). The New York native ranks in the top 100 in 15 statistical category and is 35th nationally in points per game at 19.8.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MONYYONG
Ruot Monyyong continues to sit atop the Sun Belt leaders in double-doubles, notching his fifth of the year in the win over Louisiana on December 21. Monyyong finished with a career-high 21 points and 12 rebounds, including 12 points in the second half to help secure the victory.
CAREER NIGHT FOR KAMANI
Kamani Johnson notched one of his best performances in a Trojan uniform in the win over Louisiana on December 21, finishing with a career-high 19 points and seven rebounds. Johnson was a perfect 8-for-8 from the floor and 3-for-3 from the line - the best shooting performance in the Sun Belt Conference this season. His efforts in Lafayette upped his season free throw percentage to 76.1 percent and ranking second on the team, an improvement of nearly 26 percentage points from his 50.8% average as a freshman.
CRASHING THE BOARDS
The duo of Ruot Monyyong and Kamani Johnson have helped Little Rock establish a presence on the boards early in 2019-20. Monyyong (8.8 rpg) and Johnson (7.0 rpg) rank second and fourth, respectively, in the Sun Belt in rebounding average with Monyyong leading the conference in defensive rebounds (6.4) and Johnson sitting second in offensive rebounds (2.8).Â
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 11 of their first 13 opponents under their season scoring average, holding four opponents to 19 or more points below what they typically score. The only two teams to surpass their season average against the Trojans were North Texas (76 pts, 63.6 avg) and ULM (72 pts, 65.3 avg).
SECOND HALF SURGE
Little Rock has played its best basketball in the second half of games this season, outscoring the opposition 495-418 for a +77 point differential. The first half has been a challenge for the Trojans who have a -30 point differential, being outscored 429-389 in the opening 20 minutes of games.
BACK IN THE BELT
2019-20 marks Little Rock's 29th season as a member of the Sun Belt Conference as the Trojans have posted an all-time record of 243-235 (.508) in league play since joining in the 1991-92 season. Little Rock is tied for the second-longest tenured member of the league, joining with Arkansas State and Louisiana in 1991.
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 135-79 (.631) at the Jack. Little Rock is 4-1 at home this year, its best start at the Jack since the 15-0 2015-16 season.
RAYJON'S DEBUT
Former Trojan Rayjon Tucker made his NBA debut for the Utah Jazz on December 30, 2019, scoring a basket and grabbing a rebound in the win over Detroit. Tucker became the seventh Little Rock player to play in an NBA game and the first since Shane Edwards with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014.
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