After starting a six-game road trip 0-2, the Little Rock men's basketball team has two blowout wins to its credit. After hammering the University of Texas at San Antonio, 81-64, on Saturday, the Trojans dominated the second half at Tulsa to take a 71-57 win Wednesday night.
The Trojans are right back at it at 8 p.m. Friday taking on No. 20 Arkansas (3-1) in Fayetteville as the end of the road stand is in sight. The game can be heard on 106.7 Buz2 with the pregame featuring the legendary Ray Tucker set for 7:45. The game will be televised on SEC Network
LAWSON STUFFING THE STAT SHEET
Creighton transfer Jonathan Lawson continued to make a big impact for Little Rock Wednesday night in more ways than one. He dominated the Golden Hurricane with 23 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Lawson is second on the team in scoring with 16.6 ppg and second in rebounding with 6.2 rpg. He leads the team with 3.8 assists per game.
RAZORBACK CONNECTIONS
Three members of the Little Rock squad have ties to the Razorbacks. Head coach Darrell Walker was a star guard for the Hogs in 1980-81 and 1982-83 under late legendary coach Eddie Sutton. Sophomore forward Creed Williamson's dad, Corliss, was a two-time SEC Player of the Year at Arkansas in 1993-94 and 94-95 as he led the Hogs to the national title in 1994 and a runner-up finish in 1995. Creed was sidelined with injury Wednesday night and didn't play. Another injured Trojan, K.K. Robinson, began his college career at Fayetteville before transferring to Texas A&M and eventually Little Rock.
THE SERIES
Little Rock didn't start playing its in-state foe until 2021. The Hogs won that lone meeting, 93-78, at Bud Walton Arena.
ARKANSAS: FIRST LOOK
The 20th-ranked Hogs (4-1) are finding their way under first-year, legendary head coach John Calipari. Only one player (Travon Brazile) on the roster was on the squad coached by Eric Musselman last season. Calipari quickly overhauled the roster adding highly touted prep recruits coupled with transfers.
Junior Adou Thiero followed Calipari from Kentucky and has been dominant for the Razorbacks so far averaging 18.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Boogie Fland, a freshman point from The Bronx N.Y., is averaging 16.5 points and 5 assists per game. Another Kentucky transfer, big man Zvonimir Ivisic, is averaging 12 points and 3 rebounds per game. The 7-foot-2, 245-pound sophomore from Croatia is shooting a sizzling 64.3% from the three-point line.
Florida Atlantic senior transfer guard Johnell Davis averages 9.5 points and 5 rebounds per game.
Brazile, a 6-foot-10 junior forward, left the Troy game last week with an apparent ankle injury. His status for Friday's game is unknown. Senior post James Aidoo, a 6-foot-11, 240-pound senior, is also nursing an injury. Arkansas only features nine scholarship players.
Arkansas plays two future Little Rock opponents. The Hogs host Maryland-Easter Shore Monday before they travel to Little Rock to play the Trojans next Wednesday. The Razorbacks play Illinois on Thanksgiving Day in Kansas City, and the Trojans face the Illini on Monday in Champaign, Ill.
