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ULM Opens Sun Belt Play Against Little Rock

ULM Opens Sun Belt Play Against Little Rock

Men's Basketball Jan 02
Game 13: LITTLE ROCK (5-8) vs. ULM (7-5)
Thursday, Jan. 3 | 7 p.m.
Monroe, La. | Fant-Ewing Coliseum
 
ULM Basketball Notes: Game 13 vs. Little Rock
 
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STORYLINE –
ULM (7-5) opens Sun Belt play with a two-game homestand against Little Rock (Thursday, Jan. 3 at 7 p.m.) and Arkansas State (Saturday, Jan. 5 at 2 p.m.). The Warhawks enter their 13th season of Sun Belt competition with a 3-9 record (.250) in league openers. ULM is a perfect 5-0 at home this season.
 
ULM's starting lineup features four double-figure scorers, in 6-foot-1 guard Daishon Smith (18.4 points per game; 27 3-pointers), 6-6 forward Travis Munnings (13.8 ppg., 6.8 rpg.), 6-2 guard Michael Ertel (13.8) and 6-4 guard JD Williams (12.2 ppg.).
 
THE STARTING FIVE –
• ULM is 7-1 this season when limiting its opponents to 69 points or less. The Warhawks have held four opponents to a field-goal percentage below 39 percent. Only two opponents (Ole Miss .524 and LSU .525) have managed to shoot better than 50 percent from the field against ULM.
 
The Warhawks also have made more free throws (202) than their opponents have attempted (193) this season. Through the first 12 games, ULM has outscored its opponents, 202-129, from the free-throw line.
 
• ULM leads the Sun Belt in 3-point field-goal percentage (No. 13 in NCAA Division I at .403) and free-throw percentage (.751). The Warhawks also rank among the league leaders in scoring defense (second at 67.8 points per game), field-goal percentage defense (third at .414), 3-point field goals made (tied for fourth at 9.0 per game), 3-point field-goal percentage defense (fourth at .307), scoring margin (fourth at +6.0 ppg.), assist-to-turnover ratio (fifth at 1.1) and turnover margin (fifth at +1.6).
 
• Three-point field goals have accounted for 37 percent of ULM's scoring (108 3-pointers made; 324 of 886 points) in 2018-19. The Warhawks have attempted at least 20 3-pointers in eight of their first 12 games.
 
In 2017-18, ULM set a school single-season record with 288 3-pointers made (previous record: 287 made, 2006-07).
 
• ULM has compiled a 7-2 record with senior guard Daishon Smith in the starting lineup (sidelined for three games with a hamstring injury; DNP in road games at Texas, Michigan State and Tennessee Tech). The 6-foot-1 transfer from Wichita State leads ULM in scoring (18.4 points per game), field-goal percentage (.480), 3-point field goals (27), 3-point field-goal percentage (.458) and steals (17).  Smith ranks among the Sun Belt's Top 20 in eight different statistical categories: 3-point field-goal percentage (second at .458), 3-point field goals made (second at 3.0 per game), free-throw percentage (third at .843), steals (fourth at 1.9 pg.), scoring (seventh), field-goal percentage (tied for ninth), assist-to-turnover ratio (ninth at 1.4) and assists (14th at 3.0 pg.). His .458 3-point field-goal percentage ranks No. 26 in NCAA Division I.
 
Smith has scored in double figures in eight games, including four 20-point outings. The Jacksonville, Florida, native has scored in double figures in five-straight games, averaging 19.4 points during that span. Smith finished with a game-high 22 points at LSU, hitting 7-of-12 field-goal attempts including 2-of-5 3s. He also matched his season-high with three steals against the Tigers.
 
• With an 80-63 victory over Coppin State on Dec. 21, Keith Richard reached two coaching milestones by recording his 100th win at ULM and his 250th career win.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT –
LSU 81, ULM 69 (Dec. 28, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La.): Naz Reid recorded his first career double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead LSU to an 81-69 victory over ULM on Dec. 28 in the final non-conference game for both teams. Reid, who hit 7-of-10 shots from the field, set season highs for rebounds and blocked shots (4).
 
The first half featured four lead changes and two ties. LSU (10-3) scored the first five points of the game and took an 11-5 lead on Tremont Waters' 3-pointer out of the left corner. Daishon Smith sparked a 9-0 run by ULM, hitting a 3-pointer from the left baseline and converting two steals into layups, as the Warhawks moved out to a 14-11 lead with 14:30 left in the first half. The Tigers answered with a 7-0 spurt and took an 18-14 lead on a layup from Darius Days with 12:25 remaining in the opening half. ULM responded with a 7-2 run and regained the lead at 21-20 as Jontray Harris buried a trey from the right corner in transition with 9:42 on the clock. LSU outscored the Warhawks, 10-4, over the final 4:26 and took a 42-33 lead into the locker room as Skylar Mays rattled home a 3-pointer from the right wing with :05 left in the first half.
 
The Tigers converted ULM's 13 first-half turnovers into 15 points.
 
ULM (7-5) opened the second half with an 8-1 run and cut its deficit to 43-41 on back-to-back 3-pointers from Smith and Michael Ertel. LSU put together a 10-3 run and extended its lead to 55-46 on Marlon Taylor's alley-oop dunk, off an assist from Waters, with 14:07 remaining in the game. The Tigers used a 10-1 spurt to build a 15-point lead at 67-52 on a layup from Waters with 10:16 left. Tyree White connected on a 3-pointer from the left corner and Ertel and Harris followed with 3s from the right wing as the Warhawks managed to pull to within 67-61 with 8:58 to play. LSU took control of the game with a 10-0 run and built its largest lead at 77-61 as Emmitt Williams finished a fast break with a dunk. ULM went 8:46 without a field goal in the second half, missing 12-straight field-goal attempts during that stretch.
 
Reid led five Tigers in double figures, as Mays scored 14 points, Williams 12, Waters 11 and Ja'vonte Smart 10. Waters also finished with a double-double, adding 10 assists.
 
LSU shot 52 percent (32-of-61) from the floor, including 8-of-21 from 3-point range. The Tigers outrebounded, 35-34, including a 20-12 margin in the second half.
 
Smith and Ertel combined to account for 43 of ULM's 69 points. Smith, who made 7-of-12 field-goal attempts including 2-of-5 3s, finished with a game-high 22 points, while Ertel matched his season high with 21 points, hitting 6-of-12 shots from the floor including 4-of-6 3-pointers.
 
SUN BELT OPENERS –
ULM enters its 13th season of Sun Belt competition with a 3-9 record (.250) in league openers. The Warhawks are 2-6 in Sun Belt openers under Keith Richard. Thursday's game marks the second time ULM has opened Sun Belt play against Little Rock. ULM has won its last two conference openers played in Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 81-70 over the Ragin' Cajuns on Dec. 3, 2015, and 103-98 over ULL in double overtime on Jan. 4, 2014.
 
Six of ULM's Sun Belt openers have been decided by five points or less, including three in overtime.
 
LITTLE ROCK SCOUTING REPORT –
Under first-year head coach Darrell Walker, Little Rock is off to a 5-8 start, including a 1-5 record in road/neutral site games. The Trojans have lost their last two games – both on the road: at Memphis (99-89) and at Georgetown (102-94 in overtime).
 
Little Rock's playing rotation features four double-figure scorers, in 6-foot-5 guard Rayjon Tucker (20.8 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game), 6-10 center Nikola Maric (11.6 ppg.), 5-8 guard Markquis Nowell (11.2 ppg., 4.1 assists per game) and 6-8 forward Kris Bankston (10.1 ppg.). Tucker, who leads the Sun Belt in scoring, has posted double figures in 12 games, including six 20-point efforts. The Trojans' probable starting lineup features four freshmen, in Nowell, Maric, 6-8 forward Kamani Johnson and 6-7 forward Horace Wyatt Jr.
 
As a team, Little Rock ranks second in the Sun Belt and No. 16 in NCAA Division I field-goal percentage at .497. The Trojans also rank among the league leaders in assists (second at 15.8 pg.), scoring offense (fourth at 78.6 ppg.), field-goal percentage defense (sixth at .429) and rebound margin (sixth at -0.6 pg.). Little Rock has scored more than 46 percent of its points in the paint this season (474 of 1,022 points), averaging 36.5 points per game.
 
ULM/LITTLE ROCK SERIES NOTES –
Thursday's game marks the 34th meeting between ULM and Little Rock. The Trojans lead the all-time series, 18-15, including a 6-9 record in game played in Monroe, Louisiana. Overall, ULM has won seven of the last 11 meetings. The Warhawks have won five-straight games in Fant-Ewing Coliseum, with Little Rock's last win in Monroe coming on Feb. 7, 2013, 70-60.
 
ULM and Little Rock split the regular-season series a year ago, with each team winning on its home floor. The Trojans won the first meeting, 71-62, on Dec. 31, 2017, in the Jack Stephens Center while the Warhawks took the second meeting, 48-44, on March 1, 2018, in Fant-Ewing Coliseum. Travis Munnings (game-high 21 points) and Sam McDaniel combined for 32 of ULM's 44 points during the final week of the 2017-18 regular season. 
 
ULM TOUGH TO BEAT WHEN SHOOTING 50 PERCENT OR BETTER FROM THE FIELD –
ULM is 13-1 in its last 14 games when shooting 50 percent or better from the field, with its only loss coming in the 2017-18 regular-season finale against Arkansas State (.509). The Warhawks are a perfect 4-0 when hitting 50 percent or better from the floor in 2018-19, with wins over Millsaps (.516), Northwestern State (.509), Nicholls State (season-best .559) and Coppin State (.500).
 
2018-19 WARHAWK STATISTICAL TRENDS –
 
Games played in Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 5-0
Games played on the road: 2-5
 
Games played in November: 3-3
Games played in December: 4-2
 
When leading at halftime: 6-1
When trailing at halftime: 1-4
When tied at halftime: 0-0
 
When shooting .500 or better from the field: 4-0
When shooting less than .500 from the field: 3-5
When opponent shoots .500 or better from the field: 0-2
When opponent shoots less than .500 from the floor: 7-3
 
When outrebounding opponent: 3-0
When outrebounded by opponent: 3-5
When rebounding totals are equal: 1-0
 
When hitting more free throws than opponent: 7-3
When hitting fewer free throws than opponent: 0-0
When hitting the same number of free throws as opponent: 0-2
 
When committing fewer turnovers than opponent: 6-1                    
When opponent commits fewer turnovers: 1-3
When turnover totals are equal: 0-1
 
When ULM scores 50-59 points: 0-2
When ULM scores 60-69 points: 0-2
When ULM scores 70-79 points: 3-1
When ULM scores 80-89 points: 2-0
When ULM scores 90-99 points: 2-0
 
When opponent scores 50-59 points: 3-0
When opponent scores 60-69 points: 4-1
When opponent scores 70-79 points: 0-1
When opponent scores 80-89 points: 0-3
When opponent scores 90-99 points: 0-0
 
Games decided by five points or less: 1-0
Games decided by 6-10 points: 1-2
Games decided by 11-19 points: 2-1
Games decided by 20 points or more: 3-2
                                                                        
Last five games: 4-1                                                 
Last 10 games: 5-5
 
Largest deficit overcome to win: 4 (2x); (6-2, 9-5 and 36-32 at Jackson State, Nov. 6) and (27-23 vs. Millsaps College, Nov. 10)
Largest lead surrendered in a loss: 10 (29-19 at Tennessee Tech, Nov. 23)
 
WARHAWK STAT LEADERS
Double-figure scoring games (38): Michael Ertel 9, Daishon Smith 8, JD Williams 8, Travis Munnings 7, Jontray Harris 3, Brandon Newman 1, Andre Washington 1, Tyree White 1. Opponents: 37.
 
20-point games (11): Daishon Smith 4, Michael Ertel 3, Travis Munnings 3, JD Williams 1. Opponents: 4.
 
30-point games (1): Travis Munnings 1. Opponents: None.
 
Double-figure rebounding games (6): Andre Washington 3, Travis Munnings 2, Jontray Harris 1. Opponents: 9.
 
Double-doubles: None. Opponents: 8.
 
Games leading ULM in scoring: Daishon Smith 5, Travis Munnings 4, Michael Ertel 2, JD Williams 1.
 
Games leading ULM in rebounding: Travis Munnings 5, Andre Washington 4, JD Williams 2, Jontray Harris 1, Tyree White 1.
 
Games leading ULM in assists: Daishon Smith 5, Travis Munnings 4, Michael Ertel 3, Brandon Newman 3, Jontray Harris 2, JD Williams 1. 
 
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