LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Little Rock erased a 13-point halftime deficit and outscored Morehead State by seven in the second half, but the Trojans' comeback came up just short in a 76-70 Ohio Valley Conference battle Thursday night at the Jack Stephens Center.
Little Rock fell to 11-19 overall and 8-11 in OVC play, while Morehead State improved to 19-12 and 15-5. The Trojans showed resilience after halftime, cutting the deficit to single digits multiple times and forcing the Eagles to defend until the final seconds.
"I was proud of how our guys fought in the second half," head coach
Darrell Walker said. "We showed heart, we showed toughness, and we competed. When you dig a hole like that against a good team, it's tough, but the way we responded says a lot about our group."
Johnathan Lawson led the Trojans with 15 points, knocking down three three-pointers and providing a spark during the comeback push.
Cameron Wallace added 13 points and eight rebounds, impacting both ends of the floor, while
Braxton Bayless contributed 12 points and two assists.
Kachi Nzeh added seven points and three steals, helping fuel defensive momentum that shifted the game after halftime.
Morehead State built its advantage early, shooting 14-of-27 from the field in the first half while holding Little Rock to 9-of-34 shooting. Despite the deficit, the Trojans battled on the glass, matching the Eagles with 19 rebounds before the break.
Tuongthach Gatkek energized the home crowd early with a dunk off a Wallace assist, but Morehead State's efficient shooting helped the visitors carry a 37-24 lead into halftime.
Little Rock responded with urgency in the second half. Lawson knocked down a pair of three-pointers, and Wallace finished a fast-break layup to trim the deficit to 10. The Trojans continued to attack, forcing turnovers and converting in transition while steadily closing the gap.
"Our guys never quit," Walker said. "We defended better, shared the ball, and gave ourselves a chance. We have to rebound better. We made some stops, but we didn't rebound."
Little Rock outscored Morehead State 46-39 in the second half and cut the lead to single digits in the closing minutes, but the Eagles held on behind strong interior scoring, finishing with 46 points in the paint.
The Trojans return to action Saturday, Feb. 28, hosting Southern Indiana at 3 p.m. inside the Jack Stephens Center, where Little Rock will look to build on its second-half momentum.
