Walker era begins at UALR
Trojans prevail against Division II team in overtime, 101-92.
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s first men’s basketball game of the season relied on one shot near the rim on a night where plenty of shots were taken far away from it.
UALR freshman point guard Markquis Nowell sent UALR’s season-opening 101-92 victory against Southeastern Oklahoma State into overtime with a game-tying layup with one second remaining as regulation ended in a 79-79 tie at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock.
“My mind was just racing,” Nowell said. “I’m thankful it went in.”
Nowell’s bucket sent the sharpshooting Savage Storm spiraling and the Trojans surging.
UALR outscored Southeastern Oklahoma State 2213 in overtime. Nowell, who scored 34 points in his collegiate debut, the most ever by a Trojan inside the Jack Stephens Center, had plenty to do with making Coach Darrell Walker’s UALR debut a success.
“He’s not scared of the popcorn and the bright lights, obviously,” Walker said. “There’s no doubt about that … It was a team effort, but he saved us tonight.”
“He told us he didn’t want to lose this game,” Nowell added. “And we didn’t want to lose this game.”
In Walker’s introduction, the Trojans were forced to outscore an opponent that attempted 47 three-pointers — the most ever by a visiting team against UALR.
The Savage Storm’s offense was neither extravagant nor complex. They were going to shoot. And shoot. And shoot.
The 47 three-point attempts obliterated the previous record of 33. The teams combined for 76
three-point attempts, that too a Stephens Center record.
“That’s probably the toughest team I’ve ever played,” Nowell said. “Congrats to them.”
The Great American Conference’s Savage Storm made 18 of their 47 attempts (38.3 percent) and outrebounded UALR 42-40.
Southeastern Oklahoma State kept the Trojans on their heels for much of the game. It flipped 3 of UALR’s 13 turnovers into a 12-0 run with 9:48 to go in the first half, forcing the Trojans into a run-defusing timeout trailing 29-19.
From there, the Savage Storm were content to shoot three-pointers. UALR did not hold a lead for 31:58 minutes mainly because of its opponent’s long-distance shooting.
Southeastern Oklahoma State launched 25 three-pointers in the first half, making nine. Twenty-seven points of the Savage Storm’s 3934 halftime lead came off three-pointers.
Nowell, who sealed the victory with a corner three-pointer that stretched UALR’s lead to 93-83 in overtime, stuck a deep-corner three with 14:03 left in the second half to give UALR a 53-52 lead. It was the Trojans only lead in the second half.
“I told you it was going to be a process,” Walker said.
The Savage Storm’s splurge of three-pointers were deflating to the Trojans before Nowell helped shut the curtains of Walker’s first act as coach.
“It’s been a long day,” Walker said. “Phone ringing, a lot of texts, a lot of well wishes from a lot of friends and family members … I’m just happy we got a win.”