In-state rivalry is growing

Any good rivalry has a history.

The men’s basketball programs at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and the University of Central Arkansas have met on 51 previous occasions.

Then there’s regionality, and with the two schools’ arenas separated by less than 40 miles, you can check that box, too.

Familiarity, though? That may be lacking tonight at the Farris Center in Conway, considering that no more than two of the 10 starters from last season’s game between the Trojans and Bears will be on the floor.

But with just three Division I wins between the teams this season and none in the past three weeks, there will be plenty of hunger as UALR and UCA look to get right with conference play coming soon.

“We’ve got to be better defensively,” Trojans Coach Darrell Walker said after his team’s 60-51 victory Saturday against Philander Smith College. “We got the win. I should be happy about it, but at the end of the day, I know we’ve got some work to do.”

UALR (5-6) had a string of alarming outings during its run of six losses in seven games prior to Saturday. The Trojans allowed 80 or more points in four of those six defeats while surrendering 77 in the other two.

Last season, UALR gave up 80-plus points four times — one of which was in its 86-83 home win over the Bears.

UCA ( 1- 8) has played one home game thus far but pulled out a surprising upset of Oral Roberts on Nov. 20, holding Max Abmas, the nation’s leading scorer in 202021, to eight points in a 70-67 win.

The Bears then showed some offensive flash 10 days ago, putting up 82 points at Arkansas State.

“The guys were playing with a little more reckless abandon,” UCA Coach Anthony Boone said after the 95-82 loss to the Red Wolves, a game in which the Bears outscored ASU 47-44 in the second half. “They were playing with a lot more effort and maybe not quite thinking as much on the floor but doing what they needed to do.”

While some of the key pieces in this year’s Governor’s I-40 Showdown matchup may be new to the rivalry, they’ll likely be acquainted with one another.

UCA’s leading scorer, Darious Hall, played at Mills High School in Little Rock before going to the University of Arkansas and DePaul. The teams’ starting point guards — Camren Hunter for the Bears and D.J. Smith for the Trojans — matched up in 6A-Central Conference action a year ago while playing for Bryant and North Little Rock, respectively.

That’s not to mention five other Arkansans scattered across the rosters, including UCA starting guard and Fayetteville alum Collin Cooper.

Walker

Boone