Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Host Trojans blow past Warhawks
UALR 63, LOUISIANA-MONROE 44
Louisiana-Monroe scored its first two points with 57 seconds remaining in the first quarter. By then, 9:03 minutes after the opening tip, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s women’s basketball team had already scored the game’s first 17 points to put the Warhawks in a huge hole. The Trojans’ opening victory of the Sun Belt Conference season was quickly secured. UALR’s scorching start paved the way to a 63-44 victory Thursday night at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock for its 14th consecutive victory over the Warhawks. The victory was UALR’s first at home since Nov. 14 against Florida Atlantic. “That’s the point no matter who it is. We tried to get them not to score,” said UALR senior forward Ronjanae DeGray, who had a game-high 23 points, two
points shy of her career high. DeGray, the Sun Belt Conference’s Preseason Player of the Year, made 10 of her 13 field-goal attempts and went 3 for 4 from the freethrow line in 30 minutes. She scored 13 of her points in the first half as UALR (5-7, 1-0) took a 34-14 lead into intermission. She also added seven rebounds to share gamehigh honors with teammate Kyra Collier. For UALR Coach Joe Foley, it was good to see DeGray dominate offensively at times. “It was,” Foley said. “She’s struggled a little bit at times. But the conference-opening game, it’s a good time for her to start breaking in.” DeGray has scored in double digits in each of her past four games. “I’m just trying to capitalize off of last year,” DeGray said. “No, take that back, scratch that, I’m trying to be better than I was last year. Just playing ball, trying to get back and find my new self.” Collier, a junior guard, finished with 12 points to go with 7 rebounds, including 2 offensively. UALR held Louisiana-Monroe to five assists, the fewest the Trojans have allowed in a single game this season. Louisiana-Monroe — which shot 14 for 42 from the field, 4 of 13 on three-pointers and 12 of 20 from the free-throw line — scored 10 or fewer points in each of the first three quarters and committed 20 total turnovers. The Warhawks managed 20 points in the fourth quarter. It was UALR’s first home game since Dec. 8. It was
ARKANSAS STATE 87, LA.-LAFAYETTE 75
good to be back at the Jack Stephens Center, DeGray said. “We needed a win on our home court,” she said. “It’s been a long time since we had one of those. I’m proud of my team. New year. New season.” Peyton Martin finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead Arkansas State (6-6, 1-0 Sun Belt) past Louisiana-Lafayette (2-10, 0-1) at First National Bank Arena in Jonesboro. Jireh Washington had 15 points and 5 assists for the Red Wolves, who shot 48.4 percent (31 of 64) from the floor. Also for ASU, Morgan Wallace scored 13 points and Akasha Westbrook added 10 points.