Little Rock secured a 73–70 victory over SIUE on Thursday night at First Community Arena in Edwardsville, Illinois. The Trojans overcame an eight-point halftime deficit by outscoring SIUE 41–30 in the second half, aided by a defense that forced 16 turnovers and produced 11 steals. With this win, Little Rock improved to a 6–10 overall record and moved to 3–2 in Ohio Valley Conference play, while SIUE dropped to 10–7 overall and 3–3 in league games.
“This was a big win for us,” said Little Rock head coach Darrell Walker. “We played well enough to beat Tennessee State last week but didn’t finish the game. Tonight, we responded, made the plays we needed late, and I’m very proud of our effort and poise down the stretch.”
The momentum shifted early in the second half as Little Rock increased defensive pressure and capitalized on SIUE mistakes. Kachi Nzeh and Cameron Wallace contributed inside scoring as the Trojans erased their deficit. Johnathan Lawson led all scorers with 23 points and provided stability at the free-throw line. The Trojans’ defense limited SIUE’s shooting opportunities during this stretch.
Midway through the half, Braxton Bayless scored on a fast-break layup before Tuongthach Gatkek energized the team with a dunk. Gatkek later added another slam with just over two minutes left to give Little Rock a lead they would not relinquish.
“We never panicked, even when we were down. We just kept playing hard,” Lawson said. “We knew if we stayed focused and kept playing hard, we would eventually get back in it.”
Lawson made key free throws late as Little Rock finished 11-of-18 from the line for the game. The team generated 13 points off turnovers and collected nine offensive rebounds—18 total—in the second half alone.
In the first half, Little Rock attacked inside for 16 points in the paint but trailed at halftime after SIUE hit seven three-pointers and received significant contributions from its bench.
The Trojans next face Lindenwood on Saturday at 3:30 p.m., aiming to continue their recent form.
“We’re going to try to get some rest and be ready for a very good Lindenwood team on Saturday,” Walker said. “They’ll be ready for us, so we need to keep playing with the focus and effort we’ve shown.”
