LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Western Kentucky may not be ranked but that doesn't make the Lady Toppers any less dangerous. Little Rock will meet that challenge head on Sunday afternoon when WKU returns to the Jack Stephens Center for a 2 p.m. tilt.
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WKU (0-2) enters Sunday's game after a week off from finals that followed a close 58-54 loss to Ball State, a perennial power in the Mid-American Conference. The Lady Toppers also opened the season at Tennessee and are motivated to find their first win of the year.
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But while Little Rock is coming off a loss, it was one against a top-10 team where the Trojans showed the ability to compete at the highest level in several areas on the court. Now
Joe Foley's squad will be looking to turn that competitiveness into a win against an old Sun Belt rival.
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Promotions
Throwing It Back: Little Rock will be wearing its throwback uniforms to pay homage to the great rivalry between the two teams from days of Sun Belt yesteryear.
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Series History
- Western Kentucky holds a 24-7 lead in the all-time series.
- This will be the 32nd meeting between the two schools in a series that used to pit the two foes together in Sun Belt Conference play annually.
- Sunday's contest will be just the second meeting in Little Rock since WKU left the Sun Belt.
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Five Things to Know
- Throwing It Back
Sunday's contest will also be a rekindling of a long standing former Sun Belt Conference rivalry that initially became dormant when Western Kentucky left the league. For several years, the Lady Toppers and the Trojans battled for supremacy in the Sun Belt. There were four Sun Belt Tournament meetings between the two programs with both sides winning twice. The only time Little Rock and Western Kentucky met in the Sun Belt Tournament Championship Game came in 2011 in Hot Springs when the Trojans claimed a 66-59 title decision. Little Rock would go on to the NCAA Tournament and dropped a 59-55 decision to Green Bay that year.
- So We C-U(S)Again
Sunday's tilt between Little Rock and Western Kentucky will mark the second meeting between the Trojans and a Conference USA opponent this season. The first came in a close battle with last year's C-USA champion Rice in the opening game of the season for Little Rock.
- Dime Tandem
Share the (Little) Rock. It happens at the Jack Stephens Center and it doesn't matter what gender you are. Little Rock's Mayra Caicedo (women) ranks second in the nation with 37 assists while Markquis Nowell (men) ranks third in the country with 45 assists.
- Thumps Up for Play on the Boards
Little Rock's 38 rebounds against #10/10 Texas A&M on Dec. 10 marked the second-most in series history against the Aggies and the most the Trojans have recorded against a Power 5 opponent since grabbing 40 rebounds against LSU on Dec. 20, 2017. Little Rock ended up out-rebounding the Aggies, 38-29, despite Texas A&M entering the game with a rebound margin of +13.8, previously ranking them 24th in the country. Those 38 rebounds are the most against the Aggies since getting 43 rebounds against Texas A*M on Dec. 15, 2001.
- Bre for Three … Or is it Bre for Free?
Little Rock has found a deep threat for its strategic offense as Bre'Amber Scott enters this game ranked 60th in the nation and leads the Sun Belt in 3-point field goals made (10) and 103rd in the nation and third in the Sun Belt in 3-point field goals made overall (10). But you may just want to let Bre shoot because when you foul her, you still get penalized. Bre'Amber Scott enters this game ranked 10th in the nation with 26 free throws made and 12th nationally in free throws attempted (31).
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For the latest information on Little Rock Basketball, make sure to check out
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