LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Little Rock will look to carry its momentum into the Commonwealth on Sunday when the Trojans play at Western Kentucky. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. CT with the game airing live on ESPN+.
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Sunday's game in Bowling Green, Kentucky will pit two programs that used to face each other annually in Sun Belt Conference play before both departed for greener pastures.
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Series History
- This will be the 33rd meeting between Little Rock and Western Kentucky in a series that dates back to 2000 .
- Little Rock and WKU were members of the Sun Belt Conference together from the 1999-2000 season through the 2013-14 season when WKU left for Conference USA.
- The Trojans claimed a 63-47 win over the Hilltoppers in their last meeting. That game took place in Little Rock.
- Little Rock has not won in Bowling Green since Jan. 22, 2012, having dropped three straight games at E.A. Diddle Arena.
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Five Things to Know
- It Just Means More ... For the Third Straight Year
They call him the "SEC Slayer." That is as accurate of a description for Little Rock Head Coach Joe Foley as one can get without calling them the GOAT. As he guided the Trojans to a 42-38 win over Texas A&M on Dec. 6, 2022, it put Little Rock's Team in lonely company as the Trojans are the only program to beat SEC teams in non-conference play over the past three consecutive seasons.
- You've Got To OVC It
Little Rock isn't the only Ohio Valley Conference program toppling SEC teams this season. Just two days before the Trojans upended Texas A&M at home, UT Martin traveled to Nashville and came away with a 66-54 win over Vanderbilt. Little Rock knows all about calling out "ANCHOR UP!" after beating the Commodores in each of the past two seasons.
- Stingy Defense
Looking at this game against Western Kentucky, the chance for ball movement may be low by the Hilltoppers (you KNOW Joe Foley will have his team moving the ball around). So far this season, Little Rock's defense has held opponents to just 10.1 assists per game, ranking the Trojans 47th in the nation and leads the OVC. In fact, no other OVC program is holding their opponents under 13.0 assists per game. Meanwhile, WKU is averaging 12.5 assists per game, a number that ranks the Toppers 201st in the nation. Additionally, Trojan opponents have just a 42.0% assisted shot rate, ranking Little Rock 19th in the nation. WKU's 54.0% assisted shot rate mark ranks the Hilltoppers 182nd nationally. Lindenwood is the only other OVC team holding their opponents under the 50% assisted shot rate mark. The assisted shot rate is the percentage of field goals made by a team that were assisted.
- Leading the Sextet
With Little Rock's win over Texas A&M on Dec. 6, the Trojans became the only program in the country to win non-conference games against a Southeastern Conference opponent in each of the past three years. But more than that, Little Rock is just one of six non-Power 5 programs to have won games over a Power 5 Conference school in each of the past three seasons, joining a list that includes South Florida, DePaul, Drake, South Dakota State and Stephen F. Austin.
- Welcome Back
If you thought the Trojans looked a little different in their win over Texas A&M on Dec. 6, look no further than No. 3. Jayla Brooks returned to the court for the first time since suffering a head injury against Arkansas on Nov. 20 and her return was quite effective. Brooks scored a career-high nine points, grabbed a career-best six rebounds and drew seven fouls off the Aggies, including a charge (one of three charges drawn in the game by Little Rock).
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