Trojans Host Eastern Illinois Saturday Looking to Fulfill Championship Aspirations

Game 27 | Eastern Illinois
Tip-Off	Saturday, Feb. 18 | 1 p.m. CT
Location	Little Rock, Ark.
Venue	Jack Stephens Center
Watch	ESPN3
Radio	LRSN (920 AM)
Live Stats	Stat Broadcast
Tickets	Click to Purchase
Twitter	@LittleRockWBB
Series History	EIU leads, 1-0
Game Notes	Little Rock | Eastern Illinois | OVC

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – If there were any questions on whether Little Rock could maintain its championship tradition as the Trojans moved to the Ohio Valley Conference, they might be answered Saturday.
 
Little Rock (17-9, 14-1 OVC), winners of nine straight, can clinch at least a share of the OVC regular season championship Saturday as the Trojans host Eastern Illinois (20-5, 13-2) in a battle of the league's two best teams.
 
The Trojans host a Panther team that bested Little Rock back in January – the only blemish on Little Rock's conference slate – but Eastern Illinois heads to the Capital City having dropped two straight contests, both on the road.
 
Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. on ESPN3 with Dorian Craft (play-by-play) and Patrick Newton (analyst) calling the action while Trey Schaap can be heard over the airwaves on the Little Rock Sports Network (920 AM The Sports Animal). Fans are encouraged to arrive early for the pregame Senior Day Ceremony as Toyosi Abiola, Angelique Francis and Nikki Metcalfe will be recognized at 12:45 p.m.
 
Opening Tip

• Little Rock looks to stay on top of the (Ohio) Valley as the Trojans play their final home game of the season.
• A win would secure Little Rock's 13th regular season championship in program history.
• The Trojans are holding opponents to just 52.9 ppg (and 46.9 ppg in OVC play). Both marks are the lowest of any OVC team in league history.
• Only three players to face the Trojans this season have recorded five or more assists in a game against Little Rock.
• Little Rock has only allowed more than 60 points once in OVC play this year.
• LR is averaging 1.48 charges drawn per game. Angelique Francis leads the way with 12 drawn charges while Jayla Brooks has 10.
• The Trojans rank 4th nationally in opposing team assists per game (8.3) and 19th in the country in opposing team steals per game (5.8).
• Including this season, Little Rock has reached its conference tournament semifinal round in 15 of the past 16 years.

 
Series History

• This will be just the second meeting between Little Rock and Eastern Illinois with the Panthers taking the first contest back in January.
• In their previous meeting, Little Rock held EIU's powerful offense - averaging 72 ppg - to just 44 points.
• This marks Eastern Illinois' first-ever visit to the Capital City.
• Little Rock is 2-3 all-time against opponents from the state of Illinois.

 
Five Things to Know

1. Not Our First Rodeo
   Sure the ring is a little different and the bull is new, but this isn't Little Rock's first rodeo. As the Trojans host Eastern Illinois Saturday, a win would secure at least a share of the regular season championship for Little Rock's Team. The Trojans have won a combined 12 regular season championships (between division and overall) titles over the course of their history, all during the tenure of Joe Foley. If you include conference tournaments, that number jumps up to 17 different crowns the Little Rock women have claimed. The last regular season title came in 2019, which was the third conference championship in a row.
2. Queens of the Hill ... In the (Ohio) Valley
   Thanks to a nine-game winning streak and a couple of upsets around the league, Little Rock enters Saturday's game in sole possession of first place in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Trojans can claim at least a share of the regular season title with a win over the Panthers Saturday.
3. Protect (the) Jack
   Unlike Rose, the Trojans will actually do everything possible to protect (the) Jack and the home floor advantage. A win on Saturday would give Little Rock an undefeated mark at home in conference play for the first time since the 2018-19 season. It would mark the eighth time Little Rock has gone undefeated at home during Joe Foley's tenure with six of those seven previous years witnessing the Trojans headed to the postseason. (See, the Titanic reference is funny because our court was submerged in water. And like Rose, we let go ... of that old court.)
4. Vengeance is Mine, Saith the Trojans
   Sure, clinching a championship is nice. And staying undefeated at home against conference opponents is always fun. But the chance for revenge is downright delectable. As Little Rock prepares to host Eastern Illinois Saturday, the Trojans can avenge their only misstep of their inaugural season in the Ohio Valley Conference after EIU upended Little Rock back in January.
5. Giving Thanks
   Little Rock enters Saturday's game with a notable streak to protect. Not only have the Trojans won nine consecutive games overall, but Little Rock has also not lost at home since before Thanksgiving – on Nov. 23, 2022. Since then, the Trojans have gone 11-0 in the Capital City. A victory would also give Little Rock a 12-3 mark (.800) at home on the season, recording the team's best home record since going 12-3 during the 2017-18 season.

 
A Win Would...

• Clinch at least a share of the OVC regular season championship.
• Give the Trojans a 9-0 mark all-time on transplanted aircraft carrier floors.
• Secure a 10th-straight win, the program's longest winning streak since the 2018-19 season.
• Solidify an undefeated record at home over OVC opponents this season.
• Move Joe Foley's all-time record against Matt Bollant to 1-2.
• Register Joe Foley's 851st win as a head coach (but who's counting?).
• Give Joe Foley his 395th win as head coach of the Trojans.
• Be better than a loss.

 
For the latest information on Little Rock Basketball, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockWBB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
 
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