This season
has been one of What Ifs for the UALR Trojans. The latest came on Thursday in a
68-57 loss to Georgia State at the Jack Stephens Center.
The latest
what if would be: “What if Will Neighbour hadn’t injured his ankle late in last
Saturday’s victory over South Alabama?” Neighbour was largely ineffective on
the offensive end on Thursday, scoring just 4 points and attempting only four
field goals in 26 minutes. While in the game, his effort could not be
questioned. But he was visibly limping and clearly not the same guy who won the
Sun Belt Conference’s player of the week award last week.
Teams can’t
really use the What If excuse because everyone has to deal with some sort of
adversity. UALR has dealt with its share this season. Neighbour was injured
just before opening night, Ben Dillard missed games early in the season, J.T.
Thomas was lost for the season to an injury and James White missed four games
with an injury.
But without
Neighbour, UALR just isn’t as potent a team on the offensive end. Clearly, UALR
needs more from him on Saturday vs. Western Kentucky. It remains to be seen
whether or not his body will allow that to happen.
BURN UNIT
Louisiana-Lafayette
broadcaster Jay Walker wrote a pretty funny piece this week about Georgia State
Coach Ron Hunter and Western Kentucky Coach Ray Harper and their seemingly
constant presence on the playing floor during the game. Hunter is as active as
any coach we’ve seen, hopping around the sideline and disputing every single
call that goes against the Panthers. But if officials allow it, there’s not
much you can do about it.
STAT OF THE GAME
Georgia
State outrebounded UALR 41-35.
TROJAN MAN
Leroy Isler’s
lockdown of Georgia State star R.J. Hunter was epic. Hunter finished with 14
points but that total gives the impression that he was more involved than he
really was. UALR used Isler to try and no catch Hunter, who seemed to plead
with officials every time down the court for a foul against Isler.
Hunter got
free a couple of times when Isler wasn’t around. He had a first-half transition
layup and a three-pointer after Will Neighbour bought a shot fake. He also hit a second-half three-pointer when Ben Dillard lost track of him. But he got
almost nothing when Isler was in his face.
GLASS HALF FULL
James White
made a solid return to the UALR lineup with 14 points and 7 rebounds in 29
minutes. He had missed the previous four games with an ankle injury.
GLASS HALF EMPTY
Beyond
White, UALR got nothing from its other forwards. Gus Leeper went 0 for 4 from
the field and finished with 2 points in six minutes and Mareik Isom went 0 for
3 and didn’t score in 13 minutes. Each had one rebound.
KING PRIAM’S KEYS
GO DEEP:
UALR got R.J. Hunter in foul trouble and limited him to 22 minutes. Grade: A.
THREES BELOW
35: Georgia State made 5 of 17 three-pointers for 29.4 percent. Grade: A.
DOMINATE THE
GLASS: UALR got outrebounded 41-35, including giving up 11 offensive rebounds.
Grade: F.
HANDLE THE
PRESSURE: UALR had 13 turnovers against the Georgia State pressure. That number
itself wasn’t bad. But it was the timing of the turnovers at crucial points
during the game that hurt. Grade: D.
FREE JOSH:
Josh Hagins’ shot still seems a bit off. He made 5 of 13 field goal attempts
and finished with 11 points. But he also had three crucial turnovers. Grade: C.
WHAT HAPPENED IN VEGAS
Georgia
State ended up a five-point Las Vegas favorite and easily covered that number.
UP NEXT
UALR gets
Western Kentucky at 5 p.m. on Saturday at the Jack Stephens Center.
