Popov at SEMO

Men's Basketball Nate Olson

Trojans Looking for Second Straight Road Win

Little Rock hung on for a thrilling victory Thursday night

Little Rock plays at Tennessee Tech Saturday afternoon.
After hanging on for a win at Southeast Missouri State Tuesday night, the Little Rock men's basketball team looks for its second straight Ohio Valley Conference road win.
 
The Trojans (10-7, 4-2) take on Tennessee Tech (9-9, 4-3) Saturday afternoon following the women's game that tips off at 1 p.m. The game can be heard on 106.7 Buz2 with Trey Schaap on the call starting with the pregame show 15 minutes before tipoff. The game will also be streamed live on ESPN+.
 
LAST TIME OUT
For the second time this month, Johnathan Lawson saved the day with a clutch, last-second shot. The Little Rock junior guard's pull-up jumper with 1.1 seconds left in the game gave the Trojans a 73-71 win at Southeast Missouri State. 
 
The Trojans led for much of the game and were up by as many as 14 in the second half, but SEMO hung around and kept cutting into the lead and tied the game for the first time since the 4:03 mark of the first half when BJ Ward drilled a three-pointer with 11 seconds left.
 
After a timeout, Lawson inbounded the ball and got it back from Kristyan Popov and went the length of the court and hit the go-ahead shot with just over a tick left on the clock. A desperation half-quarter court three-pointer from SEMO's Rod Martin rimmed out as time expired. 
 
The final shot capped off a big night for Lawson as he finished with 28 points. He added seven rebounds. Isaiah Lewis chipped in 17 points. Toungthach Gatkek, playing his first game after a three-game, league-imposed suspension, scored 11 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.
 
LAWSON CLUTCH …  AGAIN
Johnathan Lawson is one of the top newcomers in the OVC this season, and he had a career night in a 73-71 victory at Southeast Missouri State. The 6-foot-7, 190-pound Creighton transfer from Memphis, Tenn., scored 28 points, including a clutch pull-up jumper with 1.1 seconds to break a 71-all tie. Just 12 days before, Lawson hit the game winner at UT Martin with a floater on the right side as time ticked down. Lawson leads the team scoring over 16 points per game. He also averages 6.1 rebounds. and 3.8 assists per game. 
 
BACK AT IT
Senior forward Toungthach Gatkek returned to the Trojans' starting lineup after serving a league-imposed three-game suspension. The 6-9 Gatkek scored 11 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.
 
INJURY UPDATE
Creed Williamson (foot) suited up for a game for the first time since mid-November last Thursday. He did the same thing on Sunday and Tuesday but hasn't entered the game yet even though he's practiced and warmed up before games. Senior guard Jordan Jefferson (back) has been practicing with the team and traveled to Southeast Missouri State Tuesday but did not warm up.
 
 
THE SERIES
The teams didn't meet until Little Rock joined the Ohio Valley Conference two years ago. Tech won the first game of the series in Little Rock on Jan. 9, 2023, but the Trojans have won the past three to take a 3-1 series lead. Little Rock is 2-0 at Tennessee Tech. 
FIRST LOOK: TENNESEE TECH
Golden Eagles head coach John Pelphrey's name is a familiar one in Arkansas. Pelphrey, the former University of Kentucky All-American, was the head coach at the University of Arkansas from 2007-11. After being fired at Arkansas, Pelphrey was the associate head coach at Florida and Alabama before taking over the Tech Program in 2019. This his third head-coaching gig. He first became a head coach at South Alabama in 2002.
 
In his sixth season in Cookeville, Pelphrey has yet to record a winning record and only has one winning season in OVC play. The Golden Eagles raced to a 4-0 OVC mark this season but have cooled off losing at SIUE last Saturday and at home against SEMO Thursday night.
Rodney Johnson, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound senior leads the Golden Eagles with 14.6 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game. Junior guard Jaylon Johnson, a 6-0, 170-pounder, averages 12.8 ppg and 4.1 rpg. Daniel Egbuwine averages 11.1 ppg and 6.8 rpg. The 6-7, 210 junior Memphis, Tenn., native spent his freshman season at Little Rock.
 
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Jordan Jefferson

#12 Jordan Jefferson

G
6' 4"
Senior
Creed Williamson

#4 Creed Williamson

F
6' 8"
Sophomore
Isaiah Lewis

#3 Isaiah Lewis

G
6' 3"
Sophomore
Johnathan Lawson

#11 Johnathan Lawson

G
6' 7"
Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

Jordan Jefferson

#12 Jordan Jefferson

6' 4"
Senior
G
Creed Williamson

#4 Creed Williamson

6' 8"
Sophomore
F
Isaiah Lewis

#3 Isaiah Lewis

6' 3"
Sophomore
G
Johnathan Lawson

#11 Johnathan Lawson

6' 7"
Redshirt Junior
G