Little Rock lost to Tennessee Tech 87-77 on Saturday at Eblen Center in Cookeville, Tennessee. The Trojans had a balanced offensive performance, scoring 40 points in the paint and 11 on fast breaks, but could not overcome Tennessee Tech’s advantage from three-point shooting and offensive rebounding.
Tennessee Tech made 11 three-pointers and collected 18 offensive rebounds, which led to key second-chance points late in the game.
“We did some good things offensively, especially attacking the paint,” said Little Rock head coach Darrell Walker. “But you can’t give up that many second chances and expect to win on the road. That was the difference tonight.”
Little Rock (9-13 overall, 6-5 conference) started strong and took an early lead with aggressive play. The Trojans briefly regained the advantage midway through the first half before Tennessee Tech used a run of three-point shots to pull ahead. At halftime, Little Rock trailed by five points.
In the second half, Little Rock continued to compete and scored 42 points after intermission. Braxton Bayless led the Trojans with 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting and added five steals. Truman Claytor IV contributed 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting and recorded three steals. Johnathan Lawson scored 12 points with four assists, while Tuongthach Gatkek added eight points and two blocks.
“I liked our fight and our effort,” Walker said. “We stayed connected and kept competing, but we’ve got to be more disciplined defensively and finish possessions with rebounds.”
Tennessee Tech (8-14 overall, 3-8 conference) maintained its lead by capitalizing on offensive rebounds and timely perimeter baskets.
Little Rock will travel to UT Martin for a makeup game Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m.
For updates on Little Rock Men’s Basketball, visit LRTrojans.com or follow @LittleRockMBB on social media platforms.
