After a six-game road jaunt, the Little Rock men's basketball started a lengthy homestand with a win last Wednesday. On Thanksgiving Eve, the Trojans ran past Maryland Eastern Shore 78-59. The win came at a good time as Little Rock could celebrate the win with some much-needed rest. Now, with a week between games, the Trojans (4-4) play the University of Central Arkansas (2-5) at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Jack Stephens Center in the Governor's I-40 Showdown.
The game can be heard on 106.7 Buz2 with the pregame beginning at 6:45 p.m. The game will also be streamed on ESPN+ with Dorian Craft and Patrick Newton on the call.Â
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No place like homeÂ
With two home wins this season, the Trojans have won nine straight home games. They were 14-4 a year ago at JSC. Three of the four losses last season were to nonconference opponents.Â
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The series
UCA leads the series 38-16. The Bears knocked off the Trojans 75-71 at Conway last season. Little Rock has won 12 of the past 13 games in Little Rock. UCA last won on the road, 85-82, on Dec. 8, 2018, at the Jack Stephens Center.Â
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UCA: First look
The young Bears under first-year head coach John Shulman, have played a tough schedule so far. The Bears (2-5) are 0-4 on the road and have lost to the likes of BYU (80-58), Utah (98-63) and Georgia Tech (87-68). UCA also lost to Little Rock's Ohio Conference foe Western Illinois, 63-61, on the road. OVC member Southeast Missouri State beat the Bears 77-73 in Conway. The Bears were able to knock off Randall University and UNC-Asheville at home.Â
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Freshman Layne Taylor leads the Bears. Taylor is a familiar name for Arkansas prep basketball fans. He starred for three seasons at Farmington High School in Northwest Arkansas and helped the Cardinals to the Class 4A state championship game last winter playing for his dad, Johnny Taylor. He is averaging 16.4 points and 5 rebounds in his rookie season. Elias Cato, a 6-foot-9 Australian, is averaging 15 ppg and 3 rpg. Sophomore guard Brayden Fagbemi is averaging 13 ppg.
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