CARBONDALE, Ill. — Little Rock showcased stretches of strong defense and backcourt play but couldn't hold a halftime lead, falling 74-65 to Southern Illinois on Saturday night at the Banterra Center. The Trojans forced 16 turnovers and grabbed 12 steals - controlling the game early.
"I'm proud of my team and how we played in stretches," Little Rock head coach
Darrell Walker said. "We played well enough to win. We need to finish games, and we'll keep working on that. We're getting better."
Little Rock (2-5) built its advantage with active hands and efficient offense in the first half.
Johnathan Lawson sparked the Trojans with 16 points and 10 assists, including two first-half 3-pointers that helped send Little Rock into the locker room up 33-29.
Kachi Nzeh added a team-high 17 points, converting all four of his free-throw attempts, while
Caleb Pennyfeather fueled the defense with a game-high five steals and eight points.
Tuongthach Gatkek added seven points, two blocks and two steals as the Trojans controlled tempo early.
The Trojans opened the game with confidence, striking first on a Gatkek layup and pushing ahead moments later behind Lawson's transition 3-pointer. Little Rock maintained control throughout the half, highlighted by Pennyfeather's steal leading to a dunk and Lawson's deep 3-pointer in the final minute. A late slam from Pennyfeather cemented the Trojans' 33-29 halftime edge.
Southern Illinois (4-4) found momentum after the break, using a series of perimeter shots—three 3-pointers from Drew Steffe—to flip the lead. Despite Little Rock answering with a Lawson 3-pointer and a Gatkek dunk, the Salukis held on with key free throws and timely defensive stops in the closing minutes.
Little Rock now turns its attention to a key in-state matchup, traveling to Conway to face Central Arkansas on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 6:30 p.m. The game is part of the Governor's I-40 Showdown presented by Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield.
"We are glad to be playing back in the state of Arkansas where some of our fans can watch us," Walker said. "That will be a big lift for us. We will get a few days of practice in and be ready to go to play a big, in-state rivalry game."
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