LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A week of Homecoming festivities concludes Saturday as Little Rock hosts Southern Indiana at 3 p.m. inside the Jack Stephens Center, with the Trojans honoring their senior class and battling for a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
Little Rock will recognize seniors
Braxton Bayless,
Tuongthach Gatkek,
Johnathan Lawson, and
Tracy Steele, Jr., along with four-year student manager Ontaveous Jefferson, in a pregame ceremony celebrating their contributions to the program.
Lawson has been one of the Trojans' most consistent performers, averaging just under 17 points per game after earning First Team All-OVC honors last season and positioning himself for postseason recognition again this year. Gatkek, the reigning OVC Defensive Player of the Year, continues to anchor the defense and ranks among the conference leaders in blocked shots and steals. Bayless, who joined the Trojans this season following stops at Niagara and Western Kentucky after two years in junior college, has provided veteran leadership in his lone season in Little Rock. Steele, Jr., a North Little Rock High School standout, returned to his hometown after beginning his collegiate career at NAIA Xavier University.
Saturday's matchup also carries major postseason implications. The Trojans enter the regular-season finale tied for seventh place in the OVC standings with Eastern Illinois and Tennessee Tech, with only eight teams advancing to next week's conference tournament.
A Little Rock victory would clinch a tournament berth outright. If the Trojans fall, their postseason fate would depend on losses by Eastern Illinois and Tennessee Tech due to tiebreaker scenarios. Little Rock can secure the No. 7 seed with a win combined with losses by both teams, while a tie with either team alone would place the Trojans in the No. 8 position based on head-to-head results.
With Homecoming celebrations, Senior Day recognition, and postseason stakes all converging, Saturday's game marks one of the most important and emotional afternoons of the season for the Trojans.
GAME INFO
Who: Southern Indiana (4-15, 7-22) at Little Rock (8-11, 11-19)
When: 3 p.m., Saturday, February 28
Where: Jack Stephens Center (5,600), Little Rock, Ark.
Radio: 106.7 Buz2 (Ray Tucker, pxp; Jason Lanier, analyst) Listen HERE.
Video: ESPN+ (Michael Westbrook, pxp; Jacob Ridenhour, analyst) Watch HERE.
SERIES HISTORY
•Little Rock leads the series and has won the past five meetings.
COACH SPEAK
"This is a great senior class. All four of these guys have contributed to our program. In a short time, they have all left their marks on Little Rock basketball."
Darrell Walker, Little Rock Head Coach
TROJAN TIDBITS
•
Joseph Thomas is making the most of his opportunities, scoring a career-high 11 points in 25 minutes during Thursday's game against Morehead State.
•Little Rock has been strong in Senior Day matchups, losing just once since the 2019–20 season, highlighting the program's ability to rise to the occasion on special afternoons.
•The Trojans rank fourth in the OVC in turnover margin, committing just 12.8 turnovers per game while forcing 13.4, reflecting their disciplined play and defensive pressure.
SCOUTING THE SCREAMING EAGLES
•Southern Indiana enters Saturday's matchup having won three of its last four games, with its only loss during that stretch coming in a narrow 64–63 decision at OVC leader Morehead State on Tuesday.
•Head coach Stan Gouard is one win away from 300 career victories, including 71 at Southern Indiana and 228 at Indianapolis.
•Ismail Habib ranks among the OVC's top scorers, averaging 15.7 points per game this season.
•Amaree Brown is coming off a season-high 22-point performance in a win over Eastern Illinois, while Josiah Durham recently scored a career-best 12 points, marking his first career double-figure scoring game.
