LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Little Rock will hosts its penultimate home game Saturday afternoon when UT Arlington visits the Jack Stephens Center for a 2 p.m. tip-off.
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Saturday's meeting will feature two of the latest teams to announce their intentions to leave the Sun Belt Conference. Little Rock will move to the Ohio Valley Conference while UT Arlington will return to the Western Athletic Conference beginning July 1.
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Cierra Clark and
Bernard Scott will broadcast the game on ESPN+ while Trey Schaap will call the action on 920 AM The Sports Animal.
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Series History
UT Arlington:Â LR leads, 12-6 [
Series History] | Last game: LR won, 47-40, on 1/23/2021 [
Recap] in Little Rock, Ark. | Streak: Won 1
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Five Things to Know
- Are You Sorry to See Us Go?
Little Rock and UT Arlington have plenty in common, besides being the only Sun Belt members not to play football. They are also two institutions that will become the 12th and 13th, respectively, institutions that will be departing the Sun Belt Conference since 1996-97. Little Rock will join the Ohio Valley Conference on July 1 while UTA will return to the Western Athletic Conference.
- I Guess If Ya Can't Beat 'em...
Watch them leave? As Little Rock embarks on its final season of Sun Belt Conference play, the other teams must be releasing a sigh of relief. That is because since the Jack Stephens Center opened (2005-06 season), Little Rock (men and women combined) has won more Sun Belt Championships (regular season, tournament and combined) than any other Sun Belt program over that time frame. That includes other programs that have already left the Sun Belt Conference.
- Controlling the Play
Little Rock opponents are finding it hard to move the ball against the Trojans (this really is no surprise to us here in The Rock). Trojan opponents are averaging just 9.9 assists per game, a mark that ranks 19th in the nation for Little Rock's defense. This is notable considering UT Arlington ranks 59th nationally in assists per game (15.2) and is fifth in the league and 106th nationally in total assists (258).
- We Don't Share Well with Others
Little Rock doesn't like to share with others. That is why opponents are finding out it is difficult to get their hands on the ball. Little Rock opponents are averaging just 5.9 steals per game, a mark that ranks Little Rock 24th in the nation. Meanwhile opponents are recording just a 7.3% steal rate, a mark that ranks 25th in the nation.
- Effective Defense...
Little Rock opponents often get frustrated when facing the Trojans and it's not hard to see why. In conference play this season, the (real) Trojans lead the Sun Belt by allowing just 59.4 ppg. Even in the triple overtime game on Jan. 27 against Texas State, the Bobcats only managed 69 points in 55 The next best scoring defense in league play this season is App State, who is allowing 63.0 ppg.
- Last Trip Around the Sun
With great fanfare, Little Rock Athletics announced on Dec. 9 that the Trojans would be moving to the Ohio Valley Conference on July 1, 2022. This will take Little Rock's Team from the far-flung Sun Belt and move the Trojans into a more regionally-aligned and geographically focused conference where the there is only one institution further than a six hour drive. Only five of the soon-to-be 15 Sun Belt schools are located within a six hour drive with six school located more than 10 hours away. Once it joins the league this July, Little Rock will become the league's eighth institution, joining Eastern Illinois, Morehead State, Southeast Missouri State, SIU Edwardsville, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin, and will become just the 22nd member the 74-year old conference has had.
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For the latest information on Little Rock Basketball, make sure to check out
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