Trojans and Red Wolves Tangle Saturday in Jonesboro

OPENING TIP
Little Rock begins a crucial three-game road trip in the stretch run of the 2018-19 season, beginning with the second half of the rivalry showdown against Arkansas State in Jonesboro Saturday at 4 p.m. Roger Twibell and Rich Zvosec will have the call on ESPN+ while Ray Tucker will once again carry the radio action live on The Point 94.1 FM and online at KKPT.com.

STARTING FIVE
• The longest rivalry in program history, Little Rock and Arkansas State meet for the 89th time with the Red Wolves holding a 54-34 series edge. The Trojans are seeking back-to-back wins in Jonesboro for the first time since 2001-02.
• Little Rock heads to Jonesboro on a two-game road winning streak, trying to win three-straight games away from the Jack Stephens Center for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
• Rayjon Tucker continues to rank among the national leaders in minutes played, sitting first in the Sun Belt and 25th nationally averaging 36:38. Tucker has been on the court for 87.3% of Little Rock's total minutes, playing 40 or more minutes six times.
• Kris Bankston sits atop the Little Rock single-season field goal percentage list, making 81.4% of his shots (92-of-113). Bankston would lead the country had he made the NCAA minimum 5.0 made field goals per game (he is averaging 3.6).
• Little Rock remains one of the nation's top shooting teams, ranking 17th nationally and second in the Sun Belt Conference with a team field goal percentage of 48.8%.

THE RACE FOR NEW ORLEANS
With three weekends left in the regular season, the race for New Orleans continues to heat up. Heading into the weekend, Little Rock finds itself in a three-way tie for eighth with Arkansas State and South Alabama, as the Trojans would currently be the number nine seed in the tournament due to tiebreakers. A win Saturday would go a long way towards possible seeding implications as the Trojans already hold the tiebreaker with its sweep over the Jaguars and a victory in Jonesboro would result in a season split with the Red Wolves, making Little Rock 3-1 against the duo.

THE RIVALRY SERIES
The rivalry between Little Rock and Arkansas State is the longest in Trojan program history as Saturday's installment will be the 89th meeting between the schools with the Red Wolves holding a 54-34 edge all time. 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 10-24 all-time against the Red Wolves in Jonesboro but are seeking their first back-to-back wins at ASU-Jonesboro since 2001-02.

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 241-230 (.512) 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 with the Red Wolves holding a 32-29 (.524) edge in the 61 meetings.

IRON MAN
Rayjon Tucker has been a mainstay on the court for Little Rock this season, compiling 917 minutes in his 25 games played this season, ranking 25th nationally in minutes played (36:38 per game). Tucker has been on the floor for 87.3% of the time for the Trojans this season, despite missing the entire game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff due to an injury. The Charlotte, North Carolina native has played 35 or more minutes in 18 games this year, playing 40 or more minutes on six occasions.

BANKSTON ATOP RECORD BOOK
Kris Bankston officially entered the Little Rock record book during last week's games as he now sits atop the program's single season field goal percentage list. Bankston has made 92 of his 113 field goal attempts for 81.4%, shattering the previous record of 65.0% set by Ryan Moss in the 1997-98 season. For his career, Bankston is shooting 73.7% from the floor (140-of-190), which would be nearly 90 points higher than Moss' 64.7% clip as he needs 60 more field goals to reach the minimum.

DOUBLE DOUBLE TUCKER TUCKER
Rayjon Tucker picked up his fifth double-double of the year in the win over UT Arlington on February 14, finishing with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Tucker has finished in double figures in 24 of his 25 games played this year, surpassing the 20-point plateau on 12 occasions, and ranks fifth in the Sun Belt in scoring at 20.1 points per game.

MOVING UP THE CHARTS
A handful of Trojans continue to move up the all-time charts, including Rayjon Tucker becoming the 14th player in program history to surpass 500 points in a season. His 20.1 points per game is currently fourth in Trojan history in scoring average while ranking seventh all-time in free throws made in a season (136). Kris Bankston sits atop the field goal percentage leaders at 81.4%, sitting 12th in career blocks at 60.

INSIDE, STRONG SIDE
One of the strengths of Little Rock's offense is its play inside as the Trojans have outscored their opponents 862-692 in points in the paint this season, averaging 33.2 points per game inside. Little Rock has outscored its opponents in the paint in 17 of 26 games this year, holding a 10-point differential in 10 games this season.

BACK ON THE ROAD
As Little Rock makes its final push for the Sun Belt Conference tournament in March, it will have to continue its winning ways on the road. The Trojans have won two-straight road games, defeating both Troy and South Alabama, and are seeking their first three-game road winning streak since winning three straight away from the Jack in 2016-17. The upcoming road trip for Little Rock continues a key stretch where the Trojans play five of seven away from the Jack Stephens Center.

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 95 dunks through the first 26 games of the 2018-19 season, averaging 3.7 dunks per game. Kris Bankston has become the poster boy for slams for Little Rock with 59 of his 92 field goals coming off dunks (64.1%), upping his career dunk total to 77. Little Rock has more than doubled-up its opponents thus far in 2018-19, out-dunking the competition 95-47. 

2018-19 TROJAN DUNKS                                                
• 59 - Kris Bankston (High of 6 at Tennessee State, 11/13/18)
• 22 - 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)

LAST TIME OUT
An extended run by Texas State midway through the opening half put Little Rock in a hole it couldn't crawl out of as a late Trojan rally fell short in a 67-60 loss to the Bobcats on February 16. Trailing by 10 at the half and by as many as 12 in the second half, Little Rock chipped away and got back to within three at 63-60 with 1:26 remaining. But Texas State's defense limited Little Rock's opportunities in the closing minutes and converted four key free throws to close out the game. 

SCOUTING THE RED WOLVES
2018-19: 11-15 overall, 5-8 Sun Belt (T-8th), 8-3 at home
Last Three Games: W vs. UT Arlington (83-79); L vs. Texas State (84-74); L at Troy (84-79)
Series: Arkansas State leads, 54-34 (.386) | Streak: ASU won 1 | First: 1931-32 (L, 54-33) | Last: Feb. 2, 2019 (L, 84-83) 
Head Coach: Mike Balado (St. Thomas, 1998). Second season at Arkansas State (22-36); Second season overall
Key Players:
• #0 Ty Cockfield (Sr., G): 22.0 ppg., 3.9 rpg., 44.2 FG%, 80.2 FT%
• #23 Marquis Eaton (So., G): 11.9 ppg., 3.3 rpg., 38.8 FG%
• #10 Grantham Gillard (Sr., G): 9.6 ppg., 5.4 rpg., 39.6 FG%
• #4 Tristin Walley (Sr., F): 7.6 ppg., 5.3 rpg., 37.1 FG%
• #11 J.J. Matthews (So., F): 6.2 ppg., 3.1 rpg., 52.7 FG%

LAST TIME vs. THE  RED WOLVES
In a game that saw a number of monumental runs, Little Rock's final rally came up one point short, falling 84-83 to rival Arkansas State Saturday at the Jack Stephens Center. The Trojans built a 14 point lead in the first half, only to see the Red Wolves use a 37-7 run of its own to swing momentum back in their favor. Trailing by as many as 22, and by 12 with 1:37 to go, Little Rock staged one final rally, taking an 83-82 lead with six seconds to play off a three from Rayjon Tucker. But a pair of free throws put the Red Wolves back on top and Little Rock's potential game-winning shot as time expired fell short of the rim.

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