From Sports Xchange...
Arkansas-Little Rock brings its grinding defense to Tulsa on Saturday in a meeting between two teams off to hot starts. Tulsa suffered its first loss of the season Monday, while Arkansas-Little Rock is a win away from matching the best start in program history.
The Trojans have one of the top-ranked defenses in the nation under new head coach Chris Beard, who has his team limiting opponents to 48.8 points per game and a 32.7 field goal percentage. Tulsa's offense has been its strong point, with Shaquille Harrison leading the way and the team averaging 81.4 points on 46.7 percent shooting. Arkansas-Little Rock only has two players averaging double figures in scoring, leaving little room for error should its defense falter. Although Tulsa's defense has not been nearly as effective, the Golden Hurricane force an average of 15.6 turnovers, which could be the key to stopping the undefeated Trojans.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN3
ABOUT ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK (4-0): Marcus Johnson Jr. leads the team with 14.3 points per game and is shooting 10-for-16 from 3-point range. Josh Hagins is averaging 11.8 points and leads the team in assists (14) and steals (8), while Lis Shoshi has a team-high seven blocks. The Trojans rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit to defeat East Carolina on Thursday, prompting coach Beard to say: "I think today it was apparent that we have a team with a lot of leadership in terms of experience."
ABOUT TULSA (4-1): Harrison is averaging 23.4 points, while James Woodard (17), Pat Birt (10.8) and Marquel Curtis (10.2) are also averaging double figures in scoring. Harrison also has a team-high 11 steals and is shooting 51.4 percent. The Golden Hurricane returned all five starters from a team that made it to the second round of the NIT last season, leaving little room for the two freshmen on the team: Sterling Taplin and Kajon Brown.
TIP-INS
1. Arkansas-Little Rock has started 5-0 two times before: in 1994-95 and 2008-09.
2. Tulsa has won four of six meetings with Arkansas-Little Rock since 2009.
3. The Trojans average 10.5 turnovers and boast a plus-8.5 turnover margin.
PREDICTION: Arkansas-Little Rock 57, Tulsa 53
Arkansas-Little Rock brings its grinding defense to Tulsa on Saturday in a meeting between two teams off to hot starts. Tulsa suffered its first loss of the season Monday, while Arkansas-Little Rock is a win away from matching the best start in program history.
The Trojans have one of the top-ranked defenses in the nation under new head coach Chris Beard, who has his team limiting opponents to 48.8 points per game and a 32.7 field goal percentage. Tulsa's offense has been its strong point, with Shaquille Harrison leading the way and the team averaging 81.4 points on 46.7 percent shooting. Arkansas-Little Rock only has two players averaging double figures in scoring, leaving little room for error should its defense falter. Although Tulsa's defense has not been nearly as effective, the Golden Hurricane force an average of 15.6 turnovers, which could be the key to stopping the undefeated Trojans.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN3
ABOUT ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK (4-0): Marcus Johnson Jr. leads the team with 14.3 points per game and is shooting 10-for-16 from 3-point range. Josh Hagins is averaging 11.8 points and leads the team in assists (14) and steals (8), while Lis Shoshi has a team-high seven blocks. The Trojans rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit to defeat East Carolina on Thursday, prompting coach Beard to say: "I think today it was apparent that we have a team with a lot of leadership in terms of experience."
ABOUT TULSA (4-1): Harrison is averaging 23.4 points, while James Woodard (17), Pat Birt (10.8) and Marquel Curtis (10.2) are also averaging double figures in scoring. Harrison also has a team-high 11 steals and is shooting 51.4 percent. The Golden Hurricane returned all five starters from a team that made it to the second round of the NIT last season, leaving little room for the two freshmen on the team: Sterling Taplin and Kajon Brown.
TIP-INS
1. Arkansas-Little Rock has started 5-0 two times before: in 1994-95 and 2008-09.
2. Tulsa has won four of six meetings with Arkansas-Little Rock since 2009.
3. The Trojans average 10.5 turnovers and boast a plus-8.5 turnover margin.
PREDICTION: Arkansas-Little Rock 57, Tulsa 53
