MOBILE, Ala. – Little Rock and South Alabama will meet twice over the next 15 days with the first taking place Saturday in Mobile, courtesy of an odd arrangement in the Sun Belt schedule this year. The drama between the two teams battling each other multiple times in such a short period is heightened considering both are tied in the league standings in a pivotal position.
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Tip-off in the first meeting is set for 3 p.m. at the Mitchell Center in Mobile where two teams with identical 8-6 league marks will begin the battle for fourth place and a potential host seed for the first two rounds of the Sun Belt Tournament.
Click here to read the full hosting scenarios for this year's Sun Belt Tournament.
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Saturday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with J.D. Byars and Pat Greenwood on the call. Trey Schapp will bring fans back in Arkansas the action on the Little Rock Trojans Radio Network (Flagship: 920AM The Sports Animal).
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Series History
- In a series that dates back to Little Rock joining the Sun Belt Conference, this will be the 33rd meeting between the Trojans and the Jaguars.
- Little Rock leads the all-time series over South Alabama, 20-12. The Trojans have won 10 straight in the series and five straight in Mobile.
- Despite winning five straight in Mobile, thinks have not always been hunky dory along the Gulf Coast. South Alabama has an 8-7 advantage in games played in Mobile.
- The last time the two teams met came in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship Game last season.
- Little Rock has held South Alabama below 50 points in eight games over the last 10 meetings.
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Five Things to Know
- A Familiar Setting
Little Rock Assistant Coach Bobby Brasel won't need directions to the Mitchell Center as it is a facility he is all too familiar with. Brasel spent seven years on staff at conference foe South Alabama from 2006-2013 as the Jaguars consistently had one of the best defenses in the Sun Belt. South Alabama led the league in scoring defense four times during that stretch and remained among the top programs in the Sun Belt in a number of other defensive categories.
- I Just Adore Four
The Sesame Street song "I Just Adore Four" knows how nice that number can be. "You can't deplore four," the song says. That's sage advice as the No. 4 seed in the Sun Belt Tournament will play host to a trio of early round Sun Belt Tournament games while the fifth seed will have to go on the road. So, with two teams currently tied for fourth in the league standings battling Saturday in Mobile, the contest will be the first of several over the next two weeks in determining pivotal seeds in the postseason.
- Three Points Might be a Long Shot
Heading into this game, Little Rock has done an admirable job at defending the 3-point shot with Trojan opponents scoring just 18.8 percent of their points from long range. Limiting that number has Little Rock ranked seventh in the nation. Overall, Trojan opponents have made just 97 treys, a mark that ranks 12th in the nation. But how will South Alabama's Shaforia Kines adjust to that? She has hit multiple treys in four consecutive games entering Saturday's contest.
- Battle for Blocks
Entering Saturday's game, Little Rock ranks 25th in the nation by allowing just a 5.5% opponent block rate. But the Jaguars know how to redirect shots as their 4.3 blocks per game ranks 51st in the country while their 4.79 bpg in conference play leads the Sun Belt.
- Teal is the color of Free
Throws, that is. Teal Battle enters this game ranked 50th in the nation and second in the Sun Belt with 103 free throws made this season. She's been able to make so many free throws because she has been fouled enough to have attempted 149 free throws this season, a mark that ranks 34th in the nation.
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