SAN MARCOS, Texas– The Texas State men's basketball team returns to the floor with a big matchup against Little Rock Jan. 15-16 at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock, Ark. The two-game series will open with a 6:30 p.m. tip on Friday, Jan. 15, followed by a 4 p.m. game time on Saturday, Jan. 16.
The Bobcats (7-4, 1-1 Sun Belt) have won four of their last five contests but last saw action on Jan. 2, where they knocked off Louisiana 71-59 in Lafayette, La. Texas State weekend series against Arkansas State scheduled for Jan. 8-9 was postponed due to Covid-19 protocols within the Bobcat program. Nevertheless, the Bobcats enter the weekend with the second-best scoring defense in the league, relinquishing 64.5 points per game (No. 54 in the NCAA), and are ranked in the top 100 in the country in five other defensive categories, including turnovers forced (16.55/game; No. 40) and total blocks (41; No. 71). Offensively, TXST has scored 70 or more points in four consecutive games behind a 46.8 field goal percentage (No. 75 in the NCAA, No. 6 in the Sun Belt) and boasts a 6-1 record this season when scoring 70-plus points.
Junior guard Mason Harrell leads the Bobcats with 13.4 points per game (No. 14 in the Sun Belt) in 34.5 minutes on average (No. 3 in the Sun Belt). Harrell is shooting 43.5 percent from the field, 41.5 percent from behind-the-arc (No. 12 in the Sun Belt), and 81.5 percent from the charity stripe (No. 7 in the Sun Belt), while adding 2.8 assists per game.
Since being inserted into the starting lineup, junior guard Caleb Asberry has been hot, averaging 17.4 points per game over a five-game stretch. Overall, Asberry averages 12.0 points on the season and is ranked 10th in the conference with a .429 clip from 3-point range. Asberry was named the Pioneer Challenge MVP after averaging 24.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 3.0 steals in the two-game tourney on Dec. 19-21, 2020, in Denver, Colo. Asberry shined in the 70-68 win at Denver, where he dropped a career-high 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting and scored 22 of those points in the second half.
Senior forward Isiah Small averages 9.5 points per game and leads the Bobcats with 6.5 rebounds (No. 10 in the Sun Belt) and 1.5 blocks per game (No. 4 in the Sun Belt). Small, who also sits 9th in the conference with a 56.1 field goal percentage, is coming off a career weekend at Louisiana, where he led the team with 21.0 points per game in the two-game series, including a career-high 24 points in the series opener.
SCOUTING LITTLE ROCK
The Trojans (7-4, 3-1 Sun Belt) enter the weekend as the top team in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference and are ranked No. 19 in the CIT Mid-Major Top 25 Poll. Little Rock is 4-0 at home this season and averages 77.5 points per game (No. 6 in the Sun Belt) behind a league-best 50.4 field goal percentage. Defensively, LR gives up 73.1 points which rank No. 10 in the conference.
Junior guard Markquis Nowell leads the team with 15.1 points per game (No. 7 in the Sun Belt) and leads the conference with 7.7 assists, which is 4th in the NCAA. Nowell also ranks No. 3 in the conference with 2.6 steals per game. Junior forward Nikola Maric is right behind Nowell with 15.0 points per game (No. 8 in the Sun Belt) with a 59.5 field goal percentage (No. 6 in the Sun Belt). Maric averages 6.0 rebounds (No. 12 in the Sun Belt) and 0.7 blocks (T-No. 15 in the Sun Belt). Senior forward and Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week Ruot Monyyong averages a double-double with 13.6 points (No. 11 in the Sun Belt) and 10.4 rebounds (No. 5 in the Sun Belt) Monyyong ranks No. 5 in the country with seven double-doubles and adds to his statistics with 1.5 blocks (No. 7 in the Sun Belt). Senior guard Ben Coupet Jr. rounds out the top scorers with 10.1 points per game behind a 56.5 field goal percentage (No. 8 in the Sun Belt) and 48.6 3-point field goal percentage (No. 5 in the Sun Belt).
ALL-TIME SERIES
Little Rock leads Texas State in the all-time series 9-7 and is 6-2 when playing the Bobcats at home. TXST has won five of the last six meetings and had a season-series split last season with both teams winning on their home floor.
CHALK TALK
The Texas State men's basketball staff will be hosting Chalk Talk. Chalk Talk will be a presentation by one of the coaching staff members, followed by a meet and greet. Light refreshments will be provided. Chalk Talk will be before each non-conference home game, the UT Arlington game on Feb. 13, 2021, and all Friday home games. For more information about joining the tip-in club, call 512-245-3832.
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