SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Playing shorthanded and facing a big hole in the first half, Little Rock rallied to pull to within four in the final minute of regulation. But the shortened bench and sluggish first half caught up with the Trojans in an 85-77 loss to Missouri State at JQH Arena.
Game Notes
• Four Trojans finished in double figures, led by 18 points from
Markquis Nowell, all of which came in the second half. Nowell was key at the free throw line, going 5-for-5 from the free throw line, but struggled from the floor, making just five of his 18 shots. He did finish with a game-high seven assists.
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Ruot Monyyong added 16 points, including 13 in the second half, while adding five rebounds.
Isaiah Palermo finished with 14 points and three rebounds, earning his first start of the year. Nikoka Maric finished with 13 points and seven rebounds before fouling out after 22 minutes of work.
• Little Rock finished the game shooing 47.6% from the floor and was 52.6% from the free throw line, haunted by a 2-for-10 performance in the first half. The Trojans connected on 7-of-20 three point attempts (35.0%).
• Missouri State's duo of Isiaiah Mosley and Ja'Monta Black each scored 26 points, combining for 52 of Missouri State's 85 points. The duo were a combined 10-of-16 from three point range as the Bears shot an even 50% for the game from the floor.
• Little Rock played the game with just eight players suited up as four Trojans were held out of the game due to COVID contact tracing protocols. The shortened bench proved costly as a combination of fouls and injuries forced the Trojans to play just four players over the final 49 seconds.
First Half Notes
• Missouri State jumped out to an early 8-2 lead, knocking down three of its first four shots, including a pair from three point range. Palermo scored the first four points of the game for Little Rock, followed by a three from Coupet and a lay-up from Bankston gave the Trojans its first lead at 9-8.
• Leading 11-10 of a jumper from Bankston, the Trojans went cold from the floor, missing 11-straight shots to allow Missouri State go on a 13-0 run behind three threes from the Bears over a five-minute span to build a 23-11 lead.
• Trailing by 13 at 25-12, Little Rock continued to trim away at the Missouri State lead, pulling to within five at 29-24 off a great fast break pass from Nowell to Monyyong. The Bears responded, however with a 5-0 run of its own, pushing the lead back to 10 at 34-24 at the 3:20 mark.
• Missouri State closed out the half on an 11-4 run, including a half court shot at the buzzer to take the 40-28 lead in to the break. The Trojans shot just 36.4% in the opening 20 minutes, going 12-of-33, while hitting 2-of-8 from three point range (25%).
• Where the Trojans really struggled in the opening 20 minutes was from the free throw line where Little Rock went 2-for-10. Maric paced the team with nine points and five rebounds in the opening half, followed by six points from Palermo.
Second Half Notes
• Four-straight points from Nowell helped Little Rock get to within nine early in the second half at 45-36, but that was answered by a quick three and a transition layup for Missouri State as the Bears extended the lead back to 14 at 50-36 with 15:44 remaining.
• The Trojan offense started to find its groove in the second half, getting to within nine at 58-49 with 10:09 remaining off back-to-back baskets from Monyyong. An 11-4 run for the Trojans, highlighted by a long three from Nowell, got Little Rock to within six at 62-56.
• Missouri State was able to respond, just as it did the rest of the night, using a 9-1 run to push its lead to 14 at 71-57 with 3:52 remaining. Little Rock fought back to within eight on a pair of occasions, including a long three from Nowell with 1:15 remaining to make it 79-71.
• Nowell converted a four-point play with 1:01 remining, getting the Trojans to within six at 81-75, which was then followed by a layup from Bankston to cut the deficit to four at 81-77 with 49 seconds remaining. But a fifth foul from Bankston made it so that Little Rock had to play with four players over the final 49 seconds and the Bears pulled away for the 85-77 win.
• Little Rock shot 60.0% from the floor in the second half, making 18-of-30, as the Trojans were 5-of-12 (41.7%) from three and 8-of-9 (88.9%) from the free throw line. Nowell scored all 18 of his points in the second half with Monyyong adding 13 points with eight for Palermo.
Up Next
• Little Rock now prepares for Sun Belt Conference play, returning to action in 11 days against UT Arlington. The Trojans host the Mavericks January 1 and 2 at the Jack Stephens Center in both team's league opener.
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