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Arkansas-Little Rock NCAA Tournament Preview, Prediction
The Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans have made it to the NCAA Tournament. Here's a preview of the team and a prediction of how they'll do during March Madness.
March 14, 2016
The Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans have made it to the NCAA Tournament. Here’s a preview of the team and a prediction of how they’ll do during March Madness.
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Team: Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans
Record: 29-4
Conference: Sun Belt
Head coach: Chris Beard
How they got here: Won conference tournament
The Good
Only three other teams – Kansas, Villanova and Chattanooga – won as many games as the Trojans this season, and Arkansas-Little Rock did it by cranking up the defense and forcing opponents out of their comfort zone. Offensively, this is an efficient team that features good balance on the floor, and the Trojans can knock down the open three. Josh Hagins is a do-everything guard who is a leader for this team, and Marcus Johnson Jr. and Roger Woods both work inside and out to keep opponents honest.
The Bad
The Trojans haven’t played anybody all season, and a lack of size is a real problem vs. most NCAA Tournament teams. What worked well in the Sun Belt—playing tough defense and capitalizing on opponents’ mistakes—might not work in the pressure-cooker of the Big Dance if Arkansas-Little Rock doesn’t adjust quickly to the faster pace and superior athleticism of their opponent.
Prediction
The Trojans have been a nice story all season, but all good stories have to come to an end, and it likely will end for Arkansas-Little Rock in the first round. This is a team that just doesn’t have the kind of talent to allow it to pull off an upset, and the Trojans will be an early-out .
