Trojans Return Home To Face Tigers Sunday Evening

GAME 5 - JACKSON STATE
Date/Time	Sunday, Nov. 20 - 6:30 p.m.
Location	Little Rock, Ark.
Arena	Jack Stephens Center
Records	Little Rock (1-3, 0-0 OVC) Jackson State (0-2, 0-0 SWAC)
Watch	ESPN+
Listen	106.7 FM The Buz2
Live Stats	StatBroadcast
Notes	Little Rock | Jackson State

LITTLE ROCK - Little Rock plays its lone home game in a span of six of seven games on the road, hosting Jackson State at the Jack Stephens Center on Sunday, November 20, tipping at 6:30 p.m. The game against the Tigers will stream live on ESPN+ with Dorian Craft and Patrick Newton on the call. Trojan Hall of Famer Ray Tucker will call the action on 106.7 FM the Buz2, getting underway at 6:15 p.m.

GAME STORYLINES

• Sunday's game against Jackson State marks the beginning of a three-game stretch that comprises the Indiana Hoosier Classic, a four-team MTE that includes Little Rock, host Indiana, Jackson State and Miami (Ohio).

• Little Rock is 1-7 all-time against Jackson State but the two teams haven't faced off since December 27, 1990 when head coach Darrell Walker was in his eighth NBA season, playing for the Washington Bullets. The Trojans' lone win against the Tigers was on December 11, 1979, when Walker was a senior at Corliss High School in Chicago.

• Head coach Darrell Walker will go head-to-head against former NBA players-turned-coaches in four of the next six games, facing Jackson State's Mo Williams, Indiana's Mike Woodson, Memphis' Penny Hardaway and Philander Smith's Todd Day.

• Sunday's game against Jackson State is the first of 12 teams head coach Darrell Walker has not faced as a collegiate head coach and the first of four-straight (Indiana, Miami (Ohio) and San Francisco).

• Myron Gardner ranks among the NCAA top-25 in six different statistical categories and flirted with a triple-double at East Tennessee State Thursday night, finishing with nine points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

• Eight different Trojans have finished in double figures this season, led by four from DeAntoni Gordon who has scored at least 10 points in all four games this season.

• Little Rock is 15-6 at home against non-conference opponents under head coach Darrell Walker, winning 12 of the last 14 including the 71-60 win over Arkansas Baptist on November 10.

NEWS AND NOTES

SCOUTING THE TIGERS
2022-23: 0-2 overall, 0-0 Southwestern Athletic
First Two Games: L at Abilene Christian (65-56), L at Tulsa (85-79)
Head Coach: Mo Williams (Alabama, 2003). First season at Jackson State (0-2), Third season overall (13-37) 
Key Players:
• #2 Ken Evans Jr. (R-So., G): 17.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 44.8 FG%
• #0 Gabe Watson (Sr., G): 14.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 35.5 FG%
• #3 Trace Young (R-Sr., F): 10.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 38.1 FG%
• #13 Romelle Mansel (Jr., F): 7.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 42.9 FG%
• #45 Jayme Mitchell (So., F): 7.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 50.0 FG%

ITS BEEN A WHILE
Little Rock and Jackson State meet for the first time since the 1990 season as the Tigers have won seven of the eight previous meetings between the two teams. The last game was a 69-66 Jackson State win on December 27, 1990 when head coach Darrell Walker was in his eighth season in the NBA, playing for the Washington Bullets. The Trojans' last win was a 72-66 victory on December 11, 1979, when Walker was a senior at Corliss High School in Chicago.

LAST TIME OUT
Little Rock raced out to a 10 point first half lead but a handful of extended East Tennessee State runs proved costly as the Trojans found themselves down by 15 midway through the second half. Little Rock rallied to get to within four with under a minute to play but couldn't complete the comeback, falling to the Buccaneers 84-76 in Johnson City. Jordan Jefferson led the way off the bench with 15 points while DeAntoni Gordon added 14.

CLOSING IN ON 100
Head coach Darrell Walker begins year number five in Little Rock with an overall record of 52-68 at the helm of the Trojans. He registered his 98th win as a collegiate head coach against Arkansas Baptist, sitting at 98-86 for his career. Walker boasts a pair of impressive accomplishments as he is the only coach in the nation that has served as a head coach at the NBA, WNBA, Division II and Division I ranks and is one of just five active head coaches that won an NBA title as a player.

MYRON DOES IT ALL
Myron Gardner continues to average a double-double on the year, sitting at 10.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game with a pair of double-doubles. Gardner also leads the team assists (16), blocks (2), steals (11) and minutes (114), flirting with a double-double at East Tennessee State with nine points, eight rebounds and seven assists with a steal and block.

TROJAN SPARK
Sophomore Jordan Jefferson has provided a spark off the bench for the Trojans in each of the last two games. He scored a season-high 15 points against East Tennessee State, including 12 in the second half, along with three steals to keep the Trojans within striking distance. Jefferson leads the team in three point percentage (.429), shooting 43.8% from the floor this season.

FINDING HIS GROOVE
Senior forward DeAntoni Gordon is finding his groove after missing the majority of last season with a knee injury. Gordon leads the team in scoring at 12.5 points per game and is third in rebounds at 4.8 boards per game, shooting 50.0% from the floor and 80.0% from the free throw line. He is the lone Trojan to score in double figures in all four games this year, eclipsing double figures in seven of his 12 games played as a Trojan.

STRONG INSIDE
Little Rock's big three inside, consisting of DeAntoni Gordon, Nigel John and Myron Gardner, has been effective in the early part of the 2022-23 season. The trio has combined to average 33.0 points and 21.0 rebounds per game and is collectively shooting 43.1% from the floor (50-of-116). The trio has also been a pleasant surprise from the free throw line, making 67.5% (27-of-40) from the charity stripe.

DOUBLE FIGURE TROJANS
Eight different Trojans have combined to finish in double figures this season with Jordan Jefferson and Ethan Speaker joining the list Thursday at East Tennessee State, scoring season-high 15 and 11 points, respectively. DeAntoni Gordon leads the Trojans finishing in double figures in all four games this year with Myron Gardner, Nigel John and Chris Walker each reaching the mark twice.

HOME SWEET HOME
Little Rock begins its 18th season at the Jack Stephens Center where the Trojans are 158-91 (.633), winning its home opener 71-60 over Arkansas Baptist on November 10. Little Rock has posted a winning record in 14 of its 17 seasons at the Jack as the Trojans are 15-6 against non-conference foes at home under head coach Darrell Walker, winning 12 of their last 14.

TROJANS vs. THE SWAC
Little Rock heads into Sunday's game against Jackson State with an overall record of 59-36 (.621) against current members of the SWAC, going 1-7 all-time against Jackson State. Little Rock's last win over the conference was the 71-66 win over Prairie View A&M to open the 2020-21 season in Louisville, Kentucky.

BREAK FROM THE ROAD
Little Rock's game Sunday is the lone home game among a tough seven-game span in which the Trojans will play six road games in five different states. The Trojans will travel to Tennessee twice (East Tennessee State and Memphis), Indiana (Indiana), Ohio (Miami) and California (San Francisco) along with the short road trip to Conway. Add in the season-opening trip to Southern Illinois and Little Rock will travel nearly 7,500 miles in the first month of the season.

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