Little Rock Unveils Complete 2021-22 Men's Basketball Schedule

LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock head coach Darrell Walker has announced the Trojans' 2021 non-conference men's basketball schedule, completing the 2021-22 slate. The early season schedule includes six home games at the Jack Stephens Center and road trips to all four time zones, including games in Los Angeles, Colorado, Fayetteville and Jacksonville.
 
"I think we've got a good balance in our non-conference schedule and a schedule that will challenge our guys," Walker said. "We've got some tough road games, which is something I always want, and a handful of games at home in front of our fans. I really like this team, and feel this schedule will help prepare us for conference play."
 
 
The 2021 Little Rock non-conference schedule is as follows, with a brief history/synopsis on each opponent:
 
Tuesday, Nov. 9 vs. Southern Illinois – Jack Stephens Center
All-Time Record: Series tied, 1-1
First Meeting: Dec. 7, 2004 – Little Rock wins, 70-53
Last Meeting: Dec. 22, 2005 – Southern Illinois wins, 67-42
Synopsis: The Trojans and Salukis have met twice previously with the home team winning each game … The game against SIU will mark the return of Ben Coupet Jr. to the Jack Stephens Center after transferring following the 2020-21 season.
 
Friday, Nov. 12 vs. Champion Christian – Jack Stephens Center
All-Time Record: Little Rock leads, 1-0
First Meeting: Dec. 18, 2020 – Little Rock wins, 78-50
Last Meeting: Dec. 18, 2020 – Little Rock wins, 78-50
Synopsis: Little Rock and Champion Christian will meet for the second-straight season at the Jack Stephens Center.
 
Sunday, Nov. 14 vs. Arkansas Baptist  – Jack Stephens Center
All-Time Record: First Meeting
Synopsis: Little Rock and Arkansas Baptist meet for the first time as the two Little Rock schools are separated by just five miles.
 
Wednesday, Nov. 17 at Loyola Marymount – Los Angeles, Calif.
All-Time Record: Little Rock leads, 2-0
First Meeting: Nov. 12, 2007 – Little Rock wins, 71-40
Last Meeting: Nov. 29, 2008 – Little Rock wins, 67-59
Synopsis: The Trojans and Lions meet for the third time and the first since 2008 … This will be Little Rock's first trip to California since playing at San Diego in 2017 … The game at LMU will be the first game of the Jacksonville Classic tournament.
 
Sunday, Nov. 21 vs. Sam Houston – Jacksonville, Fla.
All-Time Record: Little Rock leads, 4-3
First Meeting: Dec. 21, 1995 – Sam Houston wins, 61-56
Last Meeting: Dec. 1, 2018 – Little Rock wins, 79-52
Synopsis: Little Rock and Sam Houston meet for the eighth time, playing in Jacksonville as part of the Jacksonville Classic … The last meeting between the two teams was a 79-52 Trojan win at the Jack Stephens Center in 2018 as former Trojan Rayjon Tucker scored 33 points in the win.
 
Monday, Nov. 22 vs. Boston University/Northern Illinois – Jacksonville, Fla.
All-Time Record vs. Boston U: First Meeting
All-Time Record vs. Northern Illinois: Series tied, 1-1
First Meeting: Dec. 29, 2007 – Northern Illinois wins, 59-55
Last Meeting: Dec. 14, 2008 – Little Rock wins, 97-85
Synopsis: Little Rock will face either Boston University or Northern Illinois in the second game of the Jacksonville Classic, depending on the outcome of the games on November 21 … The Trojans and Terriers have never met before while the Trojans and Huskies have split the previous two games with the home team getting the win.
 
Friday, Nov. 26 at Tulsa – Tulsa, Okla.
All-Time Record: Tulsa leads, 6-5
First Meeting: Nov. 18, 2006 – Tulsa wins, 66-60
Last Meeting: Nov. 19, 2018 – Tulsa wins, 88-78
Synopsis: Little Rock and Tulsa will meet for the 12th time in the series and the first since 2018 … The Trojans have won two of the last three against the Golden Hurricane but are just 1-5 in Tulsa.
 
Wednesday, Dec. 1 at Colorado State – Fort Collins, Colo.
All-Time Record: Little Rock leads, 2-0
First Meeting: Dec. 8, 2001 – Little Rock wins, 88-79
Last Meeting: Nov. 30, 2002 – Little Rock wins, 84-75
Synopsis: The Trojans and Rams meet for the third time with Little Rock winning the previous two games in a home-and-home series in 2001 and 2002 … This will be Little Rock's first game in the state of Colorado since the 2016 NCAA tournament games in Denver.
 
Saturday, Dec. 4 at Arkansas – Fayetteville, Ark.
All-Time Record: First Meeting
Synopsis: This will be the first official meeting between Little Rock and Arkansas … The Trojans and Razorbacks played in a charity exhibition on Oct. 20, 2019 as the court at Bud Walton Arena was officially renamed in honor of coach Nolan Richardson.
 
Wednesday, Dec. 8 vs. Missouri State – Jack Stephens Center
All-Time Record: Missouri State leads, 8-1
First Meeting: Nov. 30, 1986 – Missouri State wins, 61-46
Last Meeting: Dec. 21, 2020 – Missouri State wins, 85-77
Synopsis: Little Rock and Missouri State meet for the 10th time to conclude the three-game contract between the two schools … This will be the Bears' first trip to the Jack Stephens Center since 2011 and just the third meeting between the two in Little Rock.
 
Saturday, Dec. 11 vs. Philander Smith – Jack Stephens Center
All-Time Record: Series tied, 4-4
First Meeting: 1967-68 – Philander Smith wins, 90-71
Last Meeting: Dec. 6, 2011 – Little Rock wins, 102-59
Synopsis: Little Rock and Philander Smith meet for the ninth time but just the third since 2010 … The matchup will feature two of the all-time leading scorers in Arkansas program history as head coaches Darrell Walker (18th – 1,325 points) and Todd Day (1st – 2,395 points) combined for 3,720 points during their collegiate careers.
 
Tuesday, Dec. 14 at Central Arkansas – Conway, Ark.
All-Time Record: Central Arkansas leads, 36-15
First Meeting: 1930-31 – Central Arkansas wins, 44-20
Last Meeting: Dec. 6, 2020 – Little Rock wins, 86-83
Synopsis: Little Rock and Central Arkansas meet in Conway for the 2021 men's basketball installment of the Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield Governor's I-40 Showdown … Little Rock has won the last two meetings and is 13-4 against the Bears since the 1981-82 season.
 
Tuesday, Dec. 21 vs. Jacksonville State – Jack Stephens Center
All-Time Record: Little Rock leads, 1-0
First Meeting: Dec. 20, 2013 – Little Rock wins, 75-70
Last Meeting: Dec. 20, 2013 – Little Rock wins, 75-70
Synopsis: Little Rock and Jacksonville State close out the 2021 non-conference schedule with the second all-time meeting between the two … The first came at a neutral site in 2013 as the Trojans defeated the Gamecocks 75-70 at the BVI Tropical Shootout in the British Virgin Islands.

Season tickets for the 2021-22 Little Rock basketball season are now on sale by contacting the Trojan Ticket Office at (501) 565-8257.
 
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