During
Coach Steve Shields’ time here, there have been six occasions in which UALR
lost to an opponent by more than 20 points in a first meeting of the season and
then played a rematch. UALR is 5-1 in those rematch games.
The
seventh opportunity at such a game comes up tonight as UALR hosts Georgia State
at 7 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock. Georgia State, which
leads the Sun Belt with a 9-0 conference mark, defeated UALR 99-73 in Atlanta
on Jan. 18.
The most
famous of these rematch games came in the 2004-2005 season. Because of a
scheduling snafu, UALR had to play Middle Tennessee on a Monday in Murfreesboro
and again the same week on Saturday in North Little Rock. UALR was destroyed
85-50 in the game at Murfreesboro. Then UALR beat Western Kentucky on that
Thursday and Middle Tennessee 69-62 in the rematch on the Saturday.
The only
loss came last season when UALR lost 82-50 at Middle Tennesseee and then lost
at home 66-61 in the rematch.
BURN UNIT
If the
season ended today, Georgia State’s R.J. Hunter would be the Sun Belt
Conference’s player of the year. The sophomore guard is averaging 20.2 points
and 4.3 rebounds. When you watch him play, you have to think former NBA great
Reggie Miller. He’ll hit the open three pointer, but he also has a knack of
hitting an off balance, awkward looking shot while drawing a foul.
INJURY REPORT
UALR is
expected to get sophomore James White back tonight. White has missed the past
four games. He had scored double figures in five consecutive games before that,
averaging 16 points per game. Actually, his double figure streak would probably
be at eight games if he didn’t get hurt. He had six quick points in the first
half on Jan. 2 vs. Texas State. Then he got injured and missed the entire
second half.
TICKETS AVAILABLE
I’m not
sure why no one wants you to know this but there are tickets, many tickets
available tonight. Go to THIS LINK or stop by the ticket office.
KING PRIAM’S KEYS
GO DEEP:
It seems essential that UALR get into the Georgia State bench. The Panthers essentially
play six players.
THREES BELOW
35: It has become a staple. Georgia State hit 15 three-pointers in the last
meeting, making 44 percent. UALR has to get that percentage down.
DOMINATE
THE GLASS: Georgia State’s weakness is rebounding. UALR can’t just win the
glass tonight, they have to dominate it at both ends to have a chance. UALR was
+8 in the first meeting and that wasn’t even close to enough.
HANDLE THE
PRESSURE: While Georgia State isn’t a great rebounding team, they make up for
it in forced turnovers. UALR has to handle the pressure, especially early in
the game. UALR had 20 turnovers in the first meeting.
FREE JOSH:
Josh Hagins had 5 points in 22 minutes in the first meeting with GSU. This is a
big game. It’s Josh Hagins’ time to shine.
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS?
Georgia
State is an early 4 point favorite to beat UALR. UALR won its past two games as
an underdog, beating Louisiana-Lafayette and South Alabama last week.
