| GAME 6 | CHAMPION CHRISTIAN |
| Date |
Friday, December 18 |
| Time |
6:30 p.m. |
| Location |
Little Rock, Ark. |
| Arena |
Jack Stephens Center |
| Records |
Little Rock (3-2. 0-0Â SBC)
Champion Christian (2-0, 0-0 ACCA) |
| Watch |
ESPN+ |
| Listen |
106.7 FM The Ride |
| Live Stats |
TrojanStats.com |
| Notes |
Little Rock | Champion Christian |
LITTLE ROCK - After a 12 day layoff, Little Rock returns to action Friday night, facing Champion Christian at the Jack Stephens Center. Opening tip against the Tigers is set for 6:30 p.m. as the game will stream live on ESPN+ while Trojan Hall of Famer Ray Tucker will handle the radio call on 106.7 FM The Ride, beginning at 6:10 p.m.
Prior to Friday's tip-off, Little Rock will unveil the 2019-20 Sun Belt Conference championship banner in a pregame ceremony.
GAME STORYLINES
• Little Rock and Champion Christian meet for the first time Friday as the Tigers are the second-closest opponent on the year for the Trojans. The 51 miles separating the campuses in Little Rock and Hot Springs are second only to the 34 miles separating Little Rock and Central Arkansas.
• Champion Christian is the fourth opponent in the first six games of the season that the Trojans will be facing for the first time in program history, joining UNC Greensboro, Duquesne and Winthrop.
• Champion Christian is 2-0 on the year with wins over Bacone (94-73) and Ecclesia (67-65). The Tigers have a pair of exhibition losses on the year, falling to LSU-Shreveport (112-62) and Houston Baptist (93-60).
•
Markquis Nowell ranks third nationally in assists per game (9.0) and seventh in total assists (45) while
Ruot Monyyong is third nationally in double-doubles (4) and 20th in rebounds per game (10.2).
• On Wednesday, the NCAA granted immediate eligibility to transfer student-athletes, making junior
CJ White, a transfer from SMU, eligible for Friday's game against the Tigers.
• Little Rock and Champion Christian's rosters boast a combined total of 11 players from the state of Arkansas with three playing for the Trojans and eight for the Tigers.
NEWS AND NOTES
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
2020-21: 2-0 overall; 0-0 ACCA
Last Three Games: W vs. Ecclesia College (67-65), L at Houston Baptist (93-60, Exhib.), L at LSU Shreveport (112-62, Exhib.)
Head Coach: Mo Capaci (Champion Christian, 2013). First season at Champion Christian (2-0)
Key Players:
• #1 Xavier Legington (So., G): 7.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.5 apg
• #2 Derrick Guinn (So., G): 8.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.5 apg
• #3 Jermualle Norwood (So., G): 11.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 2.5 apg
• #13 Ariyon Williams (So., G): 24.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 6.0 apg
• #14 Braylon Hawkins (So., F): 15.0 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 3.0 apg
LAST TIME OUT
Little Rock held off a late surge from Central Arkansas to notch an 86-83 win over the Bears at the Jack Stephens Center on December 6. Markquis Nowell and Ruot Monyyong both finished with double-doubles on the afternoon, helping the Trojans to their second-straight win in the Governor's I-40 Showdown against their rivals in Conway.
HOME SWEET HOME
2020-21 marks the 16th season the Jack Stephens Center will serve as the home court for the Trojans as Little Rock has compiled an all-time record of 145-80 (.644) in the facility, including a 65-25 (.722) mark against non-conference foes. Little Rock improved to 14-2 (.875) in home openers at the Jack Stephens Center with the win over Central Arkansas on December 6.
ADDING TO HIS RESUME
After averaging a double-double in three games during November 30 and December 6, Markquis Nowell was tabbed the Sun Belt Player of the Week on December 8 after averaging 19.0 points, 11.3 assists and 5.7 rebounds for the Trojans. The honor is the fourth of his Little Rock career, surpassing both Rashad Jones-Jennings and Will Neighbour for the most weekly accolades in program history.
CHASING THE CROWN
Ruot Monyyong continues to draw closer to establishing himself as Little Rock's all-time leader in double-doubles, posting his 20th against Central Arkansas on December 6 with 12 points and 13 rebounds. His 16 in 2019-20 tied Rashad Jones-Jennings for the single-season Trojan record and he is eight back of matching Jones-Jennings' all-time program record of 28 double-doubles. Monyyong's 20 career double-doubles is tied for 19th among the active national leaders.
NIKOLA STANDING TALL
Nikola Maric has been a force inside for Little Rock early on, averaging 18.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, shooting 66.7% from the floor. Maric has scored at least 16 points in all five games for the Trojans this season as he currently ranks third in the Sun Belt in points per game, second in field goal percentage (66.7%) and ninth in rebounding.
BREAKING OUT
Ben Coupet Jr. had his best outing of the season in the win over Central Arkansas, finishing with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting while going 3-for-5 from three-point range with four rebounds. The preseason third team All-Sun Belt selection posted his first double-figure performance of the season, upping his career total to 21.
TAKING THEIR SHOTS
Little Rock is shooting 48.7% from the floor this season, ranking 53rd nationally, and has made at least 50% of their shots in three of its five games this season. The Trojans also rank 52nd nationally in three point defense, limiting opponents to just 27.4%, while sitting 73rd overall in turnovers forced (16.6).
CLOSING IN ON 1,000
Markquis Nowell continues to inch closer to joining an elite Trojan club. With his 19 points against Central Arkansas on December 6, he upped his career point total to 843, leaving him 157 shy of becoming the 21st member of the Trojan 1,000-point club and the first since Will Neighbour in 2014.
DUO ON LOU HENSON WATCH LIST
The 2020-21 Lou Henson Player of the Year Watch List includes a pair of Trojans as both Ruot Monyyong and Markquis Nowell made the initial cut of 50 of the top players from Mid-Major leagues added to the list. The Trojan duo is two of the five Sun Belt players on the list, joined by DeVante Jones (Coastal Carolina), Kane Williams (Georgia State) and Mylik Wilson (Louisiana).
LENGTH, LENGTH, LENGTH
Length should be a factor in Little Rock's Friday showdown against Champion Christian as the Trojan roster boasts an average height of 6' 5 1/2." 11 of the 15-man roster sits 6' 5" or taller, especially inside where the quintet of Nikola Maric (6' 10"), Kris Bankston (6' 8"), Yacine Toumi (6' 9"), Ruot Monyyong (6' 10") and Admir Besovic (7' 0") boast an average height of 6' 9 1/2." In contrast, the Tigers have just two players over 6'5" on the roster.
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