MARTIN, Tenn. - The Little Rock women's basketball team hopes to get back in the win column after the long holiday break.
The Trojans (3-8, 1-1) play their first Ohio Valley Conference road game at the University of Tennessee at Martin (4-9, 1-1) at 5:30 p.m., Thursday. The game can be heard on The Sports Animal 920 AM with Trey Schaap on the call. The game will also be streamed on ESPN+.
LAST TIME OUT
The Trojans overcame a double-digit deficit in the third quarter against Eastern Illinois but couldn't quite pull off the comeback in a 59-56 loss on Saturday, Dec. 21 at the Jack Stephens Center.
The Trojans never led the game in the second half but tied it twice before the Panthers (5-6, 2-0) took the lead for good with 47 seconds left.
Jordan Holman Jordan Holman led the Trojans with 18 points. She also dished out 3 assists and nabbed 4 steals.
Faith Lee added 12 points and 5 rebounds.
Jayla Brooks chipped in 8 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists.
COMMON OPPONENTS
Little Rock and UT Martin have played three common nonconference opponents. Both teams battled Arkansas State, Missouri State and Central Arkansas. The Skyhawks beat ASU and Missouri State but lost to UCA. Little Rock beat rival A-State at home but lost at UCA and Missouri State.
THE SERIES
UT Martin leads the series 5-4. Little Rock won the first three meetings upon joining the OVC during the 2022-23 season. The Trojans won at UT Martin last winter, but the Skyhawks returned the favor with a win at Little Rock. UTM also beat Little Rock in the OVC Tournament in Evansville, Ind.
FIRST LOOK: UT MARTIN
The Skyhawks, who earned an NCAA Tournament berth last season, played a rugged nonconference schedule which included a game at perennial in-state powerhouse Tennessee, at No. 18 Louisville and No. 1 UCLA at a tournament in Hawaii. All three were lopsided defeats.
UT Martin sat at 1-8 in early December but starting with an 82-71 home win over Arkansas State on December 15 have played well winning three of their past four games. The most impressive victory was a 102-63 win at Morehead State in the OVC opener. The Skyhawks dropped a 69-59 decision at Southern Indiana in its second conference game but ended 2024 with an 86-39 feel-good, nonconference win over Fisk on Dec. 29 at home.
A former small-school Arkansas prep star leads UTM. Sophomore Kenley McCarn won four state championships at Class 2A Melbourne. The guard leads a balanced scoring attack with 13.1 points per game. Anaya Brown, a 6-1 junior forward, averages 12.5 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game. Redshirt junior guard Shae Littleford chips in 10.9 ppg. Littleford is coming off a season in which she missed most of the year with an injury.
UTM head coach Kevin McMillan is in his 15
th season at the school. He entered the 2024-25 campaign as the school's all-time wins leader with 281. His teams have advanced to the NCAA Tournament five times and the NIT five times. He has guided UTM teams to eight 20-win seasons.
