OPENING TIP
Little Rock concludes its three game home stand with the first installment of the rivalry series against Arkansas State, tipping at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 2. The game will stream live on ESPN+ with Ben Creighton and U.S. Reed calling the action. Ray Tucker will once again carry the radio call live on The Point 94.1 FM and online at KKPT.com.
STARTING FIVE
• Little Rock and Arkansas State renew the program's longest rivalry, meeting for the 88th time overall Saturday with the Red Wolves holding a 53-34 edge in the all-time series. Little Rock is 21-13 against Arkansas State in the capital city.
• Rayjon Tucker ranks among the national leaders in a number of categories and has been a force from the free throw line. He ranks 20th nationally in free throws made (116) and 24th in free throws attempted (148) and is 43rd in scoring average (20.1 ppg).
• Kris Bankston needs 15 more baskets to reach the minimum to qualify for the single season lead in field goal percentage. His 82.4% mark this season would shatter the previous record of 65.0%, set by Ryan Moss in 1997-98.
• Bankston threw down three more dunks against Appalachian State, upping his season total to 51 as he is now tied with Arkansas' Daniel Gafford for the second-most in the NCAA this season.
• As a team, the Trojans are 15th nationally in field goal percentage (49.1%) and are 16th in free throws attempted (509).
THE SERIES
The rivalry between Little Rock and Arkansas State is the longest in Trojan program history as Saturday's installment will be the 88th meeting between the two schools with the Red Wolves holding a 53-34 edge in the all-time series. Beginning in 1931-32, Little Rock's first season of basketball, the two teams have met at least twice yearly since the 1990-91 season. The Trojans are 21-13 all-time against the Red Wolves in the capital city but Arkansas State has won the last two meetings at the Jack.
BACK IN THE BELT
The 2018-19 season marks Little Rock's 28th year as a member of the Sun Belt Conference, joining the league in the 1991-92 season. During that stretch, the Trojans have posted a 238-228 (.511) record in conference play. Little Rock and Arkansas State have been Sun Belt rivals since the two schools joined the league in the 1991-92 season.
MR. DO-IT-ALL
Rayjon Tucker has emerged as one of the top players in the Sun Belt Conference in his first season as a Trojan. Tucker currently ranks in the top 10 in the league in six statistical categories, including first in minutes per game (36:15), fifth in scoring (20.1), sixth in field goal percentage (49.8%) and fourth in defensive rebounds (5.8). He is also making a splash nationally at the free throw line, ranking 20th in the NCAA in free throws made (116) and 24th in free throws attempted (148) for a 78.4% free throw percentage. Tucker also checks in at 32nd in minutes per game, ranking 42nd in total points (401) and 43rd in points per game (20.1).
TROJANS AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
As a team, Little Rock finds itself ranked among the national leaders in a number of categories. The Trojans are 15th nationally in field goal percentage at 49.1%, ranking second in the Sun Belt behind Georgia Southern. Little Rock is one of the nation's top teams in getting to the foul line, ranking 16th nationally with 509 attempts, while also ranking 58th in free throws made (329), 62nd in assists (313), 66th in turnovers forced per game (15.2) and 68th in three point field goal percentage (36.8%).
BIG MAN BANKSTON
Kris Bankston continues to put together a solid sophomore year for Little Rock, making his presence felt inside. Bankston has registered 51 dunks on the year, tied with Arkansas' Daniel Gafford for the second-most in the NCAA this season behind Texas' Jaxon Hayes' 55. The sophomore is shooting 82.4% from the floor and would rank first nationally had he met the minimum of 5.0 made field goals per game. With 75 field goals on the year, Bankston needs just 15 more to qualify for the Trojan single season field goal percentage lead as he would shatter the previous mark of 65.0% set by Ryan Moss in 1997-98.
FRESHMAN FOURSOME
Little Rock's freshman foursome have been called on early and often as the group of Markquis Nowell, Kamani Johnson, Horace Wyatt Jr. and Nikola Maric have started eight of the Trojans' last nine games. Little Rock's freshmen have combined to play 1,640 of Little Rock's 4,250 minutes this season (38.6%), providing 596 of the Trojans' 1,610 points (37.0%). The group has accounted for 255 rebounds (35.3%) while combining for 61 of Little Rock's 105 starts in 2018-19 (58.1%).
LITTLE BIG MAN
While typically the smallest player on the court, 5-8 freshman guard Markquis Nowell has come up big time and time again for the Trojans this season. Nowell ranks second on the team in points per game (12.9), scoring in double figures 12 times this season. He ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in assists (4.4 apg.) and is sixth in steals (1.4 spg.), leading the team with a 78.7% free throw percentage.
DOUBLE FIGURE CLUB
Little Rock's offense has been efficient this season as the Trojans are averaging 76.7 points per game, ranking sixth in the Sun Belt. That effort has been paced by Rayjon Tucker, who is averaging 20.1 points per game and has scored in double figures in 19 of his 20 games this season, going over 20 points eight times. Tucker is joined in the club by Markquis Nowell (12) and Nikola Maric (12) as the other two Trojans to achieve the feat 10 times this season with Little Rock's roster combining for 74 games of 10 points or more in 2018-19.
THROW IT DOWN, BIG MEN
Little Rock is earning a reputation as one of the nation's top dunking teams as the Trojans have recorded 82 dunks through the first 21games of the 2018-19 season, averaging 3.9 per game. Kris Bankston has become the poster boy for slams for Little Rock with 51 of his 75 field goals coming off dunks. Little Rock has more than doubled-up its opponents thus far in 2018-19, out-dunking the competition 82-37.
2018-19 TROJAN DUNKS
• 51 - Kris Bankston (High of 6 at Tennessee State, 11/13/18)
• 17 - Rayjon Tucker (High of 4 vs. Two Teams)
• 9 - Kamani Johnson (High of 2 vs. South Alabama, 1/12/19)
• 4 - Horace Wyatt Jr. (High of 2 vs. Central Arkansas, 12/8/18)
• 1 - Deondre Burns (High of 1 vs. South Alabama, 1/12/19)
HOLD ON TO THE BALL
Head coach Darrell Walker hasn't held back on what is arguably the Trojans' biggest downfall this season - turnovers. Little Rock had 21 in the loss to Appalachian State, leading to a 23-4 edge in points off turnovers for the Mountaineers. The Trojans have committed 18 or more turnovers in nine games this season, leading to an average of 22.8 points for the opposition in those games.
LAST TIME OUT
For the second game in a row, Little Rock found itself trailing by 12 with four minutes to go, and once again staged a furious rally in the closing minutes. But once again, the deficit proved too great as the Trojans fell 77-73 to Appalachian State at the Jack Stephens Center. Four Trojans finished in double figures, led by 20 points from Markquis Nowell, but 21 turnovers led to a 23-4 edge by the Mountaineers.
SCOUTING THE RED WOLVES
2018-19: 9-12 overall, 3-5 Sun Belt (T-8th), 1-8 on the road
Last Three Games: L vs. Coastal Carolina (77-64); W vs. Appalachian State (82-81, OT); L at Texas State (77-64)
Series: Arkansas State leads, 53-34 (.386) | Streak: Little Rock won 1 | First: 1931-32 (L, 54-33) | Last: Feb. 17, 2018 (W, 82-78)
Head Coach: Mike Balado (St. Thomas, 1998). Second season at Arkansas State (20-33)
Key Players:
• #0 Ty Cockfield II (Sr., G): 20.7 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 3.5 apg., 43.7 FG%
• #23 Marquis Eaton (So., G): 12.0 ppg., 3.3 rpg., 38.0 FG%
• #10 Grantham Gillard (Sr., G): 9.0 ppg., 5.3 rpg., 37.7 FG%
• #4 Tristin Walley (Sr., F): 7.3 ppg., 4.8 rpg., 37.2 FG%
• #12 Canberk Kus (Jr., G): 6.8 ppg., 3.0 rpg., 39.7 FG%
LAST TIME vs. THE RED WOLVES
Trailing by eight midway through the second half, Little Rock rallied to outlast rival Arkansas State 82-78 in Jonesboro on February 17, 2018. The Trojans and Red Wolves battled back and forth all night, combining for 15 ties and 11 lead changes. Little Rock took the lead for good with a 10-0 run in the final minute, helping snap a 14-game road losing streak and three game skid to rival Arkansas State.
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