LITTLE ROCK – In a game defined by extended runs, Little Rock used an 18-0 run early in the second half to jump out to a 14-point lead, then held off a late Southern Illinois rally to notch the 69-66 opening night victory at the Jack Stephens Center.
The victory over the Salukis marked the fourth-straight year Little Rock has won its season opener under head coach
Darrell Walker as the Trojans improve to 28-15 at the Jack Stephens Center. Walker becomes just the second Trojan head coach to win the season opener in each of his first four years, joining Jim Platt from 1990-94.
Four Trojans scored in double figures on the night, led by a 15-point performance from
Jovan Stulic. Stulic was 5-of-8 from the floor and 2-for-4 from three-point range, providing some key baskets and dunks that helped swing momentum in the Trojans' favor. The junior also added a pair of assists and three steals.
Nikola Maric flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 11 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, leading the Trojans in each of the last two categories. Maric was especially productive in the second half, including going 7-of-10 from the free throw line to help preserve the Little Rock lead down the stretch.
Alsean Evans and
DeAntoni Gordon each registered career highs in their first career starts, finishing with 13 and 12 points, respectively. The duo each pulled down six rebounds on the night as well.
Marko Lukic added eight points off the bench while
D.J. Smith scored six points in his collegiate debut.
Marko Andric was the only other Trojans to score, adding four points in just shy of eight minutes.
As a team, Little Rock shot 45.8% from the floor in the game, recovering from a sluggish start which saw the Trojans make just 28% of its shots in the opening 10 minutes. Little Rock struggled from beyond the arc, making just two if its 15 three point attempts (13.3%), but was a respectable 72.2% from the free throw line, knocking down 13 of 18 attempts.
Where the Trojans turned the tempo was on the defensive end, forcing 23 Southern Illinois turnovers which led to 33 Little Rock points, nearly half of its offensive production on the night. The Trojans committed just 10 turnovers on the night, including three in the first half, while outscoring the Salukis 42-24 in the paint.
It was a quick start for the Trojans as Stulic knocked down a three on Little Rock's first possession, but Southern Illinois found its shooting touch early, building an early 10-point lead at 19-9. The Salukis would extend their lead to as many as 14 at the midway point of the first half before Little Rock started to make its run. The Trojans closed the first half outscoring the Salukis 21-10, narrowing the deficit to 37-34 at the half.
Southern Illinois pushed the lead back to six early in the second half at 42-36, but the Trojan defense would step up over the ensuing seven minutes, outscoring the Salukis 22-2 and turning that six-point deficit into a 14-point lead at 58-44 off a jumper in the paint by Andric. Eight of the Little Rock points during that run came off Southern Illinois turnovers, including dunks from Gordon and Evans.
Leading 60-47 at the midway point of the second half, Little Rock was hoping to put the game away, but Southern Illinois responded with a late run of its own. The Salukis outscored the Trojans 13-2 over the next seven minutes, pulling to within two at 62-60 with 3:56 to play.
But Maric proved crucial at the free throw line, making 5-of-6 on the next three times down the court for Little Rock, pushing the Trojan lead back to seven at 67-60 with 2:17 to play. Back-to-back three pointers by Southern Illinois brought the Salukis to within one with just over a minute to play.
Little Rock was unable to convert on a basket on its offensive end, giving the ball back to Southern Illinois with just over 40 seconds remaining. The Salukis were pressing for a go-ahead basket, but the Trojan defense forced a shot clock violation, keeping Southern Illinois from a clean look at the basket. On the ensuing inbound play, Evans found a streaking Stulic in the near court, who slammed the ball through the hoop to seal the game for the Trojans.
Southern Illinois shot 45.1% for the game and was 36.7% from three-point range (11-of-30) while making nine of 10 free throw attempts (90.0%). The Salukis were led by Lance Jones' 21 points and 13 from Marcus Domask while
Ben Coupet Jr. added seven points and four rebounds in just shy of 20 minutes off the bench in his return to the Jack Stephens Center.
Little Rock will remain at home with two more games this week, beginning Friday when the Trojans take on Champion Christian for the second-straight season. Opening tip against the Tigers is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center.
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