MONROE, La. – ULM freshman Arsula Clark scored a game-high 21 points, but it was 12 points each from the combination of Tori Lasker, Yanina Inkina, Keanna Keys and Ronjanae DeGray that helped provide Little Rock with a 71-47 victory on Thursday evening (March 1) at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
 
Clark, who posted double figures for the 13th time this season, topped her previous career-high (19) by hitting 9-of-13 from the floor and 3-of-4 at the free-throw line. Her all-around performance also included team highs in rebounds (six) and assists (five). Joining her among top individual performances for ULM (4-24, 1-16 Sun Belt) was reserve Whitney Goins, who finished with eight points and four caroms.
 
"Arsula Clark was pretty special tonight," ULM head basketball coach Jeff Dow. "She's an incredible talent and an incredible competitor. Arsula made 9-of-13 shots and that's really impressive, especially when you consider the degree of difficulty for the majority of those attempts. Defenses are game-planning against her. He was extremely active, finishing with six rebounds, five assists and three steals. This was arguably one of her best performances of the season.
 
"Whitney Goins got into the flow of the game quicker tonight and knocked down some shots. She also had four rebounds, and that's a positive because we been emphasizing the importance for her to become a factor on the defensive boards."
 
Little Rock's well-balanced lineup, which hit 50 percent or better from the floor in each quarter, finished 32-of-58 (55 percent) from the field, including 4-of-7 (57 percent) from beyond the arc for the contest.
 
Keys led the Trojans (19-9, 16-1 Sun Belt) in field goals (6-of-10) and total rebounds (six) while Lasker and Inkina wrapped up the night by each knocking down 5-of-11 field-goal attempts. DeGray, who came off the bench to reach double figures, was the most efficient shooter as she finished 5-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-2 at the charity stripe.
 
"After a horrible start (trailed 13-0), we played Little Rock relatively even for three quarters," Dow said. "There's a reason Little Rock is picked to win the league almost every year. It's a remarkably consistent basketball team. The way Little Rock plays defense always gives them a chance to win. There's no doubt Little Rock is a team to be reckoned with next week in New Orleans." 
 
Clark tallied ULM's first seven points of the third quarter and Goins added four, knocking down a timely 3-pointer, to trim the Trojan lead to 45-31 with 2:30 remaining. Little Rock amped up its defensive pressure and along with buckets by DeGray and Keys stretched the lead back to 18 by the close of the frame.
 
In similar fashion to the third, Clark opened the fourth quarter with the first four points of the frame for ULM. LaTangellia Walker sliced through the lane for a ULM layup and Goins added a 3-pointer as the Warhawks tallied nine of the first 15 points to trim the deficit to 55-40.
 
Unwilling to surrender its double-digit lead, Little Rock responded with a 16-7 spurt over the remainder of the quarter. While ULM received a 3-pointer from Gabriella Cortez and two points each from Clark and London Archer, the Trojans used six points from DeGray and a 3-pointer from Monique Townson to complete the win. 
 
Seven points off the hand of Inkina helped the Trojans establish a 13-0 lead over the first 5:30 of the contest. Diamond Brooks got the Warhawks on the board with a layup, but Little Rock answered with seven of the next nine points as it stretched the advantage to 16. Clark and teammate Destini Lunsford accounted for the final three points of the frame for ULM, which trailed 22-7 after one quarter.
 
Clark scored the first two points of the second quarter, but four points from DeGray in a 6-2 spurt by the Trojans resulted in a 28-17 lead. Cortez answered with a 3-pointer, trimming the deficit to 14, but five points from Lasker made for Little Rock's 35-19 lead. Lunsford converted her second 3-pointer of the game to give ULM 19 points in the half, but a late jumper by Kyra Collier provided the Trojans with an 18-point lead at the break, 37-19.
 
The Warhawks conclude the regular season on Saturday, March 3, when they play host to Arkansas State at 12 p.m.