| GAMES 24 & 25 - LOUISIANA |
| Dates |
Friday, Feb. 26 - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 27 - 4 p.m. |
| Location |
Little Rock, Ark. |
| Arena |
Jack Stephens Center |
| Records |
Little Rock (10-13, 6-10 SBC)
Louisiana (15-7, 9-6Â SBC) |
| Watch |
ESPN+
Friday | Saturday |
| Listen |
106.7 FM The Buz2 |
| Live Stats |
Friday | Saturday |
| Notes |
Little Rock | Louisiana |
LITTLE ROCK - Little Rock closes out the 2020-21 regular season this weekend, facing Louisiana at the Jack Stephens Center. The Trojans and Ragin' Cajuns will tip at 6:30 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday with both games streaming on ESPN+, called by Hayden Balgavy and Patrick Newton. Trojan Hall of Famer Ray Tucker will handle the radio call on 106.7 FM The Buz2, beginning at 6:10 p.m. Friday and 3:40 p.m. Saturday.
GAME STORYLINES
• Little Rock closes out the 2020-21 regular season at home with a pair of games against Louisiana, currently sitting as the number five seed in the west division at 6-10 in Sun Belt play.
• Little Rock and Louisiana have met 57 times previously with the Ragin' Cajuns holding a 31-26 edge in the all-time series. The Trojans are 15-12 against Louisiana in Little Rock with the Ragin' Cajuns winning three of the last four.
• The two teams split a pair of games in Lafayette earlier this season with Louisiana winning 66-64 on Jan. 8 before a 78-76 overtime win for Little Rock on Jan. 9 at the Cajundome.
• This weekend's games features arguably two of the top contenders for Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year in
Ruot Monyyong and Louisiana's Theo Akwuba. Monyyong is averaging 10.9 reb., 7.7 def. reb and 1.6 blocks per game while Akwuba is averaging 9.1 reb., 5.5 def. reb. and 2.7 blocks per game.
•
Ruot Monyyong is the Sun Belt's active leader in rebounding (552), blocks (99) and double-doubles (29). He became the program's all-time leader in double-doubles over the weekend and ranks third nationally with 13 this season.
• As a team, Little Rock boasts 19 double-doubles on the year ranking third nationally behind Illinois' 23. Three Sun Belt schools are among the top-10 with Louisiana tied for sixth (17) and Arkansas State ninth (16).
• Should Little Rock be able to complete both games this weekend against Louisiana, it will hold a special distinction, possibly with ULM, as the only two Sun Belt schools that played all 18 of its scheduled conference games in 2020-21.
• Since January 9, Little Rock has failed to reach 70 points in any game while Trojan opponents have done so only three times - 77 points for Texas State (Feb. 6), 73 for Arkansas State (Feb. 12) and 78 for ULM (Feb. 21).
NEWS AND NOTES
EYEING PENSACOLA
Seedings for the 2021 Sun Belt Championship will be finalized for this weekend as Little Rock currently holds the #5 seed in the west and would currently match up with Appalachian State, the #4 seed in the east. Little Rock has the ability to reach as high as the #4 seed in the west, depending on results of this weekend's games.
SCOUTING THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
2020-21: 15-7 overall, 9-6 Sun Belt (2nd West)
Last Three Games: W vs. UT Arlington (76-74), W at ULM (88-72), L vs. ULM (72-66)
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981). 11th season at Louisiana (203-150); 28th season overall (551-316)
Key Players:
• #0 Cedric Russell (Sr., G): 18.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 41.9 3FG%
• #13 Mylik Wilson (So., G): 12.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 43.4 FG%
• #10 Theo Akwuba (Jr., F): 11.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.7 bpg
• #23 Dou Gueye (Sr., F): 10.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 43.3 FG%
• #1 Devin Butts (So., G): 6.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 36.8 FG%
WE MEET AGAIN
Little Rock and Louisiana split a two-game weekend series at the Cajundome in early January in a pair of tightly contested meetings. The Ragin' Cajuns outlasted the Trojans 66-64 on Jan. 8 before Little Rock rallied to force overtime the following day, earning a 78-76 decision. The win gave the Trojans three wins at the Cajundome in its last five trips, two of which were in OT.
LAST TIME OUT
Little Rock stumbled in a pair of games against ULM in a weather-delayed series in Monroe earlier this week. The Warhawks raced out to a 20-point first half lead on Sunday, Feb. 21, cruising to a 78-66 win over the Trojans. The following day, Little Rock rallied from a first half deficit to lead by nine in the second half, only to see ULM rally late to take the 68-64 victory.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE KING
Ruot Monyyong established himself as the program's all-time double-double king over the weekend, notching the 29th of his Trojan career with 11 points and 14 rebounds against ULM Sunday. He surpassed Rashad Jones-Jennings (2005-07) on the all-time list and ranks 15th among the active national leaders, pulling down a Sun Belt-best 13 this season.
600-500-100 MAN
Ruot Monyyong is inching closer to reaching an impressive career milestone of 600 points, 500 rebounds and 100 blocks. Monyyong currently sits at 647 points and 552 rebounds for his Trojan career and is at 99 blocks, leaving him one shy of joining the club. Monyyong is the Sun Belt's active leader in rebounds, blocks and double-doubles (29) heading into the weekend.
CLEANING THE GLASS
Ruot Monyyong continues to establish himself as one of the nation's top rebounders, ranking third nationally in total rebounds with 250 after pulling down 25 in two games at ULM. The Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year, Monyyong is ninth in rebounds per game (10.9) and 12th in defensive rebounds (7.65).
CONSISTENT MARIC
Nikola Maric has been arguably Little Rock's most consistent player in 2020-21, scoring in double figures in 20 of 23 games and leading the team with a 14.3 scoring average. He logged a season-best 24 points at ULM on Sunday and had reached a streak of 13-straight games in double figures earlier this year.
CLOSING IN ON 1,000
Nikola Maric is the closest Trojan player to 1,000 career points, sitting at 788 for his Little Rock career. 2020-21 has been his best season in a Trojan uniform to date, averaging 14.3 points per game with 5.8 rebounds.
Ruot Monyyong is next in line at 647 points, followed by
Ben Coupet Jr. at 565.
TROJAN BLOCK PARTY
Ruot Monyyong upped his career block total to 99 and remains fifth all-time in program history. He has registered at least one block in all but two games this season and is one shy of becoming the fifth player in program history to amass 100 career blocks and the first since Darius Eason in 2005.
DOUBLE FIGURE CLUB
Eight Trojans have combined for 71 double-figure performances in 2020-21, led by 20 for
Nikola Maric, 17 for
Ruot Monyyong and seven for
Ben Coupet Jr., who leads the Trojans with four 20+-point performances this season, including his 22-point output at Arkansas State on Feb. 12.
#LittleRocksTeam
