Little Rock narrowly lost to Ohio Valley Conference leader UT Martin 55-52 on Saturday night at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center in Martin, Tennessee. The Trojans led several times during the game and focused their offense inside, scoring 30 points in the paint and forcing 11 steals from UT Martin. However, the Skyhawks’ success from three-point range proved decisive as they made 10 shots from beyond the arc.
“I thought we competed for 40 minutes against one of the best teams in the league,” said head coach Darrell Walker. “Our guys played with toughness, defended, and gave ourselves a chance to win on the road.”
In the first half, Little Rock stayed close despite a slow start offensively and trailed only 23-21 at halftime. Their defense created opportunities by forcing turnovers that led to eight points off those mistakes.
“We defended well and made them work for everything,” Walker said. “When you’re guarding like that, you’re always going to be in the game.”
The Trojans improved their shooting after halftime, making 61 percent of their field goal attempts while continuing to focus on scoring inside. They recorded five more steals in the second half and kept the contest close until the final moments.
Braxton Bayless was Little Rock’s top scorer with 13 points on five field goals. Kachi Nzeh added 11 points on efficient shooting (5-of-8). Johnathan Lawson contributed eight points along with four steals to anchor the defense, while Tuongthach Gatkek grabbed eight rebounds and had two steals.
Little Rock will return home for its next game against Lindenwood at 7 p.m. Thursday.
