The Little Rock Trojans secured a convincing 77-58 victory over the Western Illinois Leathernecks, with Cameron Wallace pacing the team with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Western Illinois' Lucas Lorenzen led all scorers with 19 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome the balanced attack of Little Rock, which saw three players score in double figures. The Trojans' 42 points in the second half sealed the deal, outscoring Western Illinois by 8 points in the final 20 minutes. Little Rock's record improved to 10-16, while Western Illinois fell to 5-22.
Little Rock's Cameron Wallace Grabs 9 Rebounds, Matching His Season High
The game got off to a strong start for Little Rock, which took a 35-24 lead into halftime. Western Illinois struggled to find its rhythm, shooting just 32% from the field in the first half. The Leathernecks' Lucas Lorenzen kept his team in the game with 11 first-half points, but Little Rock's Truman Claytor IV matched him with 11 points of his own. In the second half, Little Rock continued to pull away, outscoring Western Illinois 42-34. The Trojans' Braxton Bayless chipped in with 14 points and 5 rebounds, while Western Illinois' Isaiah Griffin added 11 points and 6 rebounds. The 19-point margin of victory was 10.7 points more than the predicted margin of 8.3, showcasing Little Rock's dominance.
Cameron Wallace and Lucas Lorenzen were the top performers in the game, with Wallace posting 16 points and 9 rebounds for Little Rock. Lorenzen led all scorers with 19 points for Western Illinois. Truman Claytor IV and Braxton Bayless also had strong games for Little Rock, scoring 16 and 14 points, respectively. For Western Illinois, Isaiah Griffin added 11 points and 6 rebounds, while Antwaun Massey chipped in with 8 points and 5 rebounds. The balanced attack of Little Rock was too much for Western Illinois, which couldn't overcome the Trojans' 45% shooting from the field.
CHD Scout Report Card
CORRECTPredicted
Final
Little Rock outshot Western Illinois 45% to 38% from the field, and outrebounded the Leathernecks 38-32. The Trojans also committed just 12 turnovers, compared to 15 for Western Illinois. Little Rock's 77 points were its highest total in the last 5 games, and the team's 19-point margin of victory was its largest since a 20-point win over Arkansas State on January 15. Western Illinois, on the other hand, has now lost 5 straight games, and its 58 points were its lowest total in the last 3 games.
The CHD Scout predicted a Little Rock victory by 8.3 points, and the Trojans delivered with a 19-point win. The predicted score was 67-76, but Little Rock exceeded expectations with its 77-point outburst. The model correctly identified Little Rock as the winner, but underestimated the team's margin of victory. The actual margin of 19 points was 10.7 points more than the predicted margin, showcasing the dominance of Little Rock. The CHD Scout's correct prediction improved its record to 12-5 in Little Rock games this season.
This game was a Quadrant 4 matchup for both teams, with Little Rock's NET ranking of 311 and Western Illinois' NET ranking of 361. The win improved Little Rock's record to 10-16, but didn't significantly impact its tournament resume. Western Illinois, on the other hand, fell to 5-22 and saw its already slim tournament hopes dwindle. The Leathernecks' Quadrant 4 loss didn't hurt their NET ranking, but it did drop them to 1-10 in Quadrant 4 games this season. Little Rock, meanwhile, improved to 2-8 in Quadrant 4 games.
Little Rock's next game is on February 15 against Arkansas State, while Western Illinois travels to face Omaha on February 17. Both teams want to build on their performances in this game, with Little Rock seeking to continue its strong play and Western Illinois hoping to snap its 5-game losing streak.