Trojans Win, Claim Weekend and Season Series Split with UT Arlington

Alayzha Knapp scored a game- and season-high 18 points and Krystan Vornes brought down a career-best 16 rebounds as Little Rock claimed a 47-40 win over UT Arlington Saturday, splitting the weekend and season series with the Mavericks.

Little Rock (6-5, 2-2 Sun Belt) used the stifling defense Joe Foley-coached teams are so well known for in the win, holding UT Arlington to a season-low 40 points, the fewest a Trojan opponent has scored since Little Rock held Florida Atlantic to 38 points in a 61-38 win over the Owls on Nov. 14, 2018.

While the offense was led by Knapp she also had a strong hand in the Trojans' defensive effort, registering a season-high three blocks and grabbing two steals to go with her 18 points.

Knapp's two swipes contributed to Little Rock matching a season-high nine steals in the game, with the Maroon and Silver led by Mayra Caicedo's three steals. Caicedo led all players with 11 assists, helping an efficient Little Rock offense dish out 14 assists on 18 made baskets.

When UT Arlington (6-4, 4-2) wasn't committing 21 turnovers – its second straight 20-plus turnover performance against Little Rock – the Mavs were struggling to shoot from the floor. UTA posted a 32.7% field goal percentage that started with a chilly 2 of 15 performance in the first quarter, scoring only four points in the opening frame.

Of their 33 missed shots, nearly half were grabbed by the tenacious hands of Vornes, who had 15 defensive rebounds in her 16-rebound performance. Not just a career-high mark for the senior forward, the performance marks the sixth time this season Vornes has reached double figures in rebounds.

Little Rock never trailed in the game but UT Arlington cut the Trojan lead to three at 31-28 with 68 seconds remaining in the third quarter before an unlikely 3-pointer by Angelique Francis pushed that lead back out to six entering the final frame.

That long range shot by Francis – her second made 3-pointer out of two career attempts – cut the UTA momentum at the quarter break and sparked an 11-2 run by Little Rock, giving the Trojans their first double-digit lead of the game with 3:37 remaining. Little Rock would need the double-digit advantage as Knapp's final basket of the game, coming with just under three minutes to go, would also be Little Rock's final basket of the game.

The Trojans would hit three of four free throw attempts in the final 22 seconds while also forcing two Maverick turnovers in that time to hold on for the 47-40 win.

The victory not only secures a weekend series split with UTA but also the season series split after the two teams each claimed a win in Arlington on Jan. 1-2.

Little Rock now turns its attention to a make-up date with Louisiana on Monday evening at the Jack Stephens Center. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.

For the latest information on Little Rock Basketball, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockWBB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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