BURN THE HORSE
It’s safe to say we’ll know a lot more about this UALR
basketball team seven days from now.
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UW-MILWAUKEE AT UALR7 p.m. tonightJack Stephens Center |
UALR (1-2) returns home at 7 p.m. tonight to face
Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2-1) in the first game of the Hoops for Hope Classic. It
starts a stretch of four games in seven days in in two countries as the Trojans
try to find themselves.
UALR will likely be the underdog in three of the four games,
giving an opportunity to see what UALR is made of before Sun Belt Conference
play begins later this month.
After Wisconsin-Milwaukee tonight, UALR will host
Jacksonville on Wednesday, play SMU on Saturday in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on
Saturday and play either Missouri State or South Carolina on Sunday.
To win any of the four, UALR will have to regain its
confidence. The Trojans looked distraught in the second half of losses to
Louisiana Tech and Ole Miss.
That confidence has to start with the returning players from
last year’s Sun Belt West Division championship team. Junior Will Neighbour,
coming back from offseason shoulder surgery and recovering from a sprained
ankle and concussion in preseason practice, hasn’t gotten untracked yet. And
sophomore guards Ben Dillard and Taggart Lockhart went scoreless in Friday’s
loss at Ole Miss.
These returnees are the only veterans UALR has and they need
to start playing above their experience level.
BURN NOTICE
Through three games, Will Neighbour has 23 points and 16
rebounds. Through three games last year, Neighbour had 29 points and 12
rebounds. Neighbour went on to be a second team all-Sun Belt Conference
selection.
BTH KEYS TO VICTORY
BOARD IT Wisconsin-Milwaukee likes to spread things out on
offense. That leaves them out of position for many rebounds. UALR has to take
advantage of that aspect and dominate the boards.
DEFEND THE THREE When these teams played last year,
Wisconsin-Milwaukee made 12 three-point shots, six two-point shots and 11 free
throws. Allowing the Panthers to shoot 50 percent from the three-point line won’t
cut it.
BE THE BALL UALR had the look of confidence in its
opening victory over Tennessee-Martin. That confidence has seemed to go away in
the past two losses. UALR needs to find it and start knocking down some jump
shots.
VEGAS, BABY
Wisconsin-Milwaukee started as a three-point favorite. The line moved to 3.5 and then 4 points Monday morning. This marks
the first time this season the Trojans have been an underdog at home. UALR is
0-2 as an underdog this season.
PREDICTIONS
Really surprised The Sports Network went the way it did. Vegas says MIlwaukee is a 4-point favorite. But the average of our BTH experts suggests a 1.5-point UALR victory.
JEFF SAGARIN (3-0) UWM 74, UALR 72
CBS SPORTSLINE (3-0) UWM 65, UALR 63
THE SPORTS NETWORK (3-0) UALR 70, UWM 64
REAL TIME RPI (3-0) UALR 69, UWM 64
OMNI RANKINGS (0-0) Should be available beginning Saturday
