LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock's schedule for its trip to the Louisville multi-team event has been announced as the Trojans will play five games in 10 days at the KFC Yum! Center, beginning Wednesday, November 25 and concluding Friday, December 4.
2020-21 Little Rock Basketball Schedule
Little Rock's first three games of the event in Louisville will be part of the Wade Houston Tipoff Classic, beginning Wednesday, Nov. 25 against UNC Greensboro. The Trojans then renew an old Sun Belt Conference rivalry against Western Kentucky on Saturday, Nov. 28 before facing Prairie View A&M on Monday, Nov. 30.
The final two games of Little Rock's time in Louisville will be against Duquesne on Thursday, Dec. 3 before closing out its time in the Bluegrass State facing Winthrop on Friday, Dec. 4. Game times and television assignments will be determined at a later date.
It will be a challenging five-game stretch to open the season for Little Rock as the five opponents each won at least 19 games, combining for 107 victories in 2019-20. Prairie View and Winthrop each won at least a share of their regular season conference titles while Western Kentucky tied for second.
"This will be a very good test for our team early in the year against some very good teams," said head coach
Darrell Walker. "Each of these teams were very competitive and finished very high in their conference standings and will present different challenges for our guys."
The early season event is part of a "bubble" experience to help protect teams from exposure to COVID-19. The Trojans, along with the rest of the teams, will stay at the Galt House Hotel, which has an adjacent elevated walkway directly into the KFC Yum! Center. With the exception of a possible bus trip for practice in the Planet Fitness Kueber Center, teams will not have to leave the dual facilities of the Galt House Hotel or KFC Yum! Center during their stay in Louisville. Testing protocols will be in place for all participating teams and health protocols established by the ACC will be in place.
Little Rock's Sun Belt Conference schedule was released late last week with the remainder of the Trojans' 2020-21 non-conference slate announced in the coming weeks.
LITTLE ROCK LOUISVILLE OPPONENT CAPSULES
Nov. 25 - UNC Greensboro Spartans
2019-20 Record: 23-9, 13-5 Southern Conference (3rd)
Head Coach: Wes Miller – 10th season
Key Returners: #1 Isaiah Miller (Sr., G), #44 Kaleb Hunter (R-Jr., G)
Series: First Meeting
Nov. 28 - Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
2019-20 Record: 20-10, 13-5 Conference USA (T-2nd)
Head Coach: Rick Stansbury – Fifth season
Key Returners: #11 Taveion Hollingsworth (Sr., G), #23 Charles Bassey (Jr., C)
Series: Western Kentucky leads, 35-13
Last Meeting: Feb. 8, 2014 (WKU 79, LR 78)
Nov. 30 - Prairie View A&M Panthers
2019-20 Record: 19-13, 14-4 Southwestern Athletic Conference (1st)
Head Coach: Byron Smith – Fifth season
Key Returners: #12 Faite Williams (Jr., G), #0 Lenell Henry (Sr., F)
Series: Little Rock leads, 6-1
Last Meeting: Dec. 19, 2002 (LR 76, PVAMU 65)
Dec. 3 - Duquesne Dukes
2019-20 Record: 21-9, 11-7 Atlantic 10 Conference (T-5th)
Head Coach: Keith Dambrot – Fourth season
Key Returners: #5 Marcus Weathers (Sr., F), #10 Sincere Carry (Jr., G)
Series: First Meeting
Dec. 4 - Winthrop Eagles
2019-20 Record: 24-10, 15-3 Big South Conference (T-1st)
Head Coach: Pat Kelsey – Ninth season
Key Returners: #30 D.J. Burns Jr. (So., F), #52 Chandler Vaudrin (Sr., G)
Series: First Meeting
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