LITTLE ROCK - Little Rock closes out its 2019-20 home schedule when it welcomes Louisiana for its yearly trip to the Jack Stephens Center Saturday. Opening tip against the Ragin' Cajuns is set for 2 p.m. and will stream live on ESPN+.
"This will be another big game for us at home, a place where we have played well all season," said head coach
Darrell Walker. "This is the last time we'll play at home this season, so hopefully we can get a good crowd to come out and support what is a really special team."
GAME STORYLINES
• Little Rock and Louisiana meet for the 55th time Saturday with the Ragin' Cajuns holding a 31-23 all-time series lead. The Trojans are 14-12 all-time against Louisiana in Little Rock and are seeking their first season sweep since the 2015-16 season when Little Rock defeated Louisiana three times.
• Little Rock clinched at least a share of the Sun Belt regular season title Thursday and secured a bye to the conference tournament semifinals in New Orleans. With a two game lead on Texas State, one Trojan win or one Bobcat loss would secure Little Rock's first outright title since 2015-16.
• The Trojans have reached 20 wins on the season for the first time since the 2015-16 season and the 12th time in program history, 11 of which have come at the Division I level.
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Kamani Johnson picked up his second Sun Belt Player of the Week honor Monday after setting career-highs with 32 points and 16 rebounds in the win at Arkansas State. It brings Little Rock's total Sun Belt weekly award winners to five (three for
Markquis Nowell), the most in program history.
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Ruot Monyyong continues to lead the Sun Belt Conference in rebounds (9.9), defensive rebounds (7.9) and blocks (2.2) per game with 15 double-doubles. As a team, Little Rock has 21 double-double performances, the most in the Sun Belt.
• Little Rock is the league's top shooting team at 46.9% from the floor while Louisiana ranks 11th at 44.6%.
• Little Rock has posted a 12-2 record at the Jack Stephens Center this season. A win Saturday would give the Trojans 13 wins on its home court this season, tied with the 2007-08 and 2012-13 teams for the second-most wins in the facility, trailing the perfect 14-0 season in 2015-16.
NEWS AND NOTES
SCOUTING THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
2019-20: 12-17 overall, 7-11 Sun Belt (T-8th)
Last Three Games: W vs. Arkansas State (77-74); L at ULM (83-77); W at Troy (81-77)
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981). 10th season at Louisiana (186-140); 27th season overall (534-307)
Key Players:
• #1 Jalen Johnson (Jr., F): 15.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 42.8 FG%
• #0 Cedric Russell (Jr., G): 13.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 34.7 3FG%
• #13 Mylik Wilson (Fr., G): 11.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 46.5 FG%
• #15 P.J. Hardy (Sr., G): 10.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 37.1 3FG%
• #34 Dou Gueye (Jr., F): 8.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 35.0 FG%Â
LAST WE MET
Trailing by 14 in the second half, Little Rock once again staged a furious rally to take the lead in the final minute, outlasting Louisiana 69-66 at the Cajundome on December 21, 2019. Ruot Monyyong finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds while Kamani Johnson posted 19 points, including eight-straight late in the second half to help preserve the win.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
Little Rock clinched at least a share of the Sun Belt Conference title with the win over ULM Thursday night, holding a two game lead over Texas State with two games to play. Little Rock's magic number to clinch the outright league regular season title is one - one Little Rock win or one Texas State loss.
HONORS FOR KAMANI
Kamani earned his second Sun Belt Player of the Week honor of the season after his 32-point, 16-rebound performance at Arkansas State Saturday, setting career-highs in both. The honor for Johnson gives the Trojans five Sun Belt Player of the Week honors (three for Markquis Nowell), the most in a single season for the program.Â
EMPIRE STATE RECORD
Little Rock's New York duo has come up big in the Trojans' quest for a Sun Belt title. Kamani Johnson and Markquis Nowell recorded back-to-back 32-point games (Johnson at Arkansas State, Nowell vs. ULM), marking the first time in the program's Division I history two players have recorded 32 or more points in back-to-back games.
RUOT BLOCK PARTY
With another block in the win over ULM, Ruot Monyyong upped his season block total to 62 as he continues to lead the Sun Belt Conference. He recently surpassed Ryan Moss (1997-98) for the most in a single season in program history at the Division I level.
MAKING A STATEMENT
Making a strong case for Sun Belt Newcomer and Defensive Player of the Year, Ruot Monyyong ranks in the top-30 nationally in five statistical categories, including eighth in defensive rebounds per game. Monyyong is 14th nationally with 15 double-doubles and has posted double digit rebounding totals in 17 games while scoring in double figures a team-best 22 times, leading the Sun Belt in both rebounds and blocks.
RACING PAST 700
Markquis Nowell finished with 32 points in the win over ULM, the third 30-point performance of his career and second of the season. With the effort, he eclipsed the 700-point plateau and now sits at 730 career points as a Trojan. In two games against the Warhawks this season, Nowell scored a combined 65 points, making 15 three pointers.
EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
Little Rock is one of two teams nationally which leads its conference after being picked 11th in the respective preseason poll and is one of three conference leaders picked seventh or lower. With its win Thursday night, Little Rock becomes the 18th team to reach 14 conference victories this season.
POINTS OF EMPHASIS
Two points of emphasis for head coach Darrell Walker has been free throw shooting and limiting turnovers. The Trojans registered their best game of the season in both categories Thursday night against ULM, setting a new season-high for free throw percentage at 87.0% (20-of-23). Little Rock also committed just six turnovers, its lowest total of the season.
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