Arkansas - Little Rock

[Censored by Laurie]

Much as Middle Tennessee is a year away from being a force in the Sun Belt East, Arkansas - Little Rock is next years team to beat in the West. This year for Trojan Head Coach Steve Shields will be all about finding chemestry between nine newcomers and some talented returnees.

Projected Starting Line-Up:

• PG. Brandon Patterson 6'6" 192 Jr.
• SG. Terrance Akins 6'1" 182 Sr.
• SF. Lehkeythan Malone 6'6" 201 Jr.
• PF. Rashad Moss 6'7" 220 Sr.
• C. Mike Smith 6'7 282 Soph.

Frontcourt - Of the five departed Trojans, four played up-front, and none more important than Rashad Jones-Jennings (6'8" 230). Jones-Jennings was named first team all Sun Belt last season, averaging 12.5 points and a nation leading 13.1 rebounds per game. The most likely to attempt to fill Jones-Jennings shoes is Mike Smith (6'7" 282 Soph.). Smith is one of two Ole Miss transfers on the Trojan roster who sat out last season due to NCAA rules. Smith (who perhaps Papa Todd ought to look at to sure up our O-Line) averaged just 2.2 points and 1.7 rebounds in his freshman campaign with the Rebels, prepped the year before on a National Title winning Laurinburg Academy squad, and has never put up impressive scoring numbers, but will be an effective rebounder for UALR. Lehkeythan Malone (6'6" 201 Jr.) was the SBC Freshman of the Year two seasons ago, but saw his production slightly decrease in his sophomore campaign. Malone shot a solid 49% from the floor last season, but a paltry 33 % from three, a problem that bemoaned the Trojans all year. Rashad Moss (6'7" 220) is an active, yet undersized forward who will have to improve both his scoring (4.4ppg) and rebounding (1.7rpg) in order to hold off a strong group of newcomers. With size an issue, the most likely of the newcomers to see significant minutes will be Derrick Bails (6'9" 260 Fr.). Bails signed in 2006, but red shirted last season to focus on academics. JUCO transfer Shane Edwards (6'7 195 Jr.) surprised many when he chose to break his commitment to Colorado State and join the Trojans. Edwards averaged 13.1ppg and 7.6rpg at Northeastern CC, but his minutes this season will be dictated entirely on how Shields chooses to utilize the lanky forward...as he's undersized for the four, but there will be more minutes available there than at the crowded three. LaMarvon Jackson (6'6" 200 Jr.) and John Fowler (6'4 193 Jr.) were signed late to help a thin frontcourt. The biggest impact upfront for UALR will sitting out this season. Johnathan Uchendu (6'11" 205 Soph.) comes back home to Little Rock after a season of minimal playing time at Purdue.

Backcourt - Terrance Akins (6'1" 182 Sr.) first transferred to Little Rock before the 2005-06 season. He appeared in just two games before taking a medical red shirt, but went 1 for 3 from the field...oh...and 1 for 3 from 3 point range. Last season, Akins continued his affinity for the deep ball...taking nearly two-thirds of his shots from the 19'9". Akins (who could win a Harold Stewart miniature look alike contest) was the only Trojan to shoot above 40% from three and finished second to RJJ in scoring last season (12.3ppg). Brandon Patterson (6'6" 192 Jr.) left Oxford, MS with Mike Smith and will be an immediate impact player for UALR and a top newcomer of the year candidate in the Sun Belt. Patterson is a rangy wing who appeared in all 61 Rebels games during his stay at Ole Miss. He has been working this summer at the point, an unnatural position, but one that he is capable of playing and where he will be the biggest benefit to the Trojans. De'Andre Eggins is instant offense off the bench. Eggins (6'5" 192 Jr.) finished third on the team in scoring (11.4ppg) and fourth in rebounding (3.8rpg) but was absolutely awful from three point range (26-102, 25%), actually making fewer threes this season compared to last, where he only attempted 70 (27-70). The only true point guard on the roster is Stevie Moore (6'0" 170 Soph.). Moore was up and down in his freshman season, leading the team with 2.7 assists per contest, but also comfortably led the team in turnovers (78). Moore will still see plenty of time when Patterson slides to the wing, but with Akins, Eggins and Malone crowding the 2,3 spots, Patterson needs to be on the floor and the point seems to be the most likely place. Two true freshmen round out Shields' recruiting class. Shooting guard Kelson Stewart (6'4" 185) and combo Brian Smith (6'2" 178) will have a difficult time finding minutes, though Smith's ability to play some point will be a benefit.

Summary - Arkansas - Little Rock is very strong in the backcourt. The problem is, so is everyone else in the Sun Belt. Your elite SBC teams have at least one capable scorer over 6'7". Mike Smith will eat space, but is not an offensive weapon. Edwards can score, but is too thin to play the four on a regular basis. If Dials proves he has an offensive game, it may up the success curve for the Trojans a bit, but things should come together next year when Uchendu is eligible and only Akins and Moss graduate. Last season was a disappointment for Steve Shields, finishing 13-17, 8-10 in conference, good for fifth in the SBC West after being picked by many to win the Division. With so many new faces, look for modest improvement this coming season, but to be a force in 2008.

[untgeorge]

You can't count a Steve Shields coached team out.

He has won two division championships in his 4 years as HC at UALR, one of those championships in what was thought of as being a rebuilding year. Finding a 282-lb player on his roster and another at 260 should be no surprise, he stresses defense and rebounding, typically finishing high in the conf in fewest points allowed and low in scoring and in shooting %, and seems to be able to get the tools to make his system work. He also recruits players who graduate.

He gets quite a few JUCOs and D1 transfers. Sometimes this can backfire as it seems to have last year, after his starting PG was booted out of school. Who knows, it may be hard to get good HS kids to Little Rock.

Maybe you won't see UALR at the top of the standings this season, but they are another team whose physically punishing defense and fundamentals can make them very dangerous at any given time. To do really well Shields has to figure out a way to build a team which can shoot and still retain their very definite distinctive personality.

[Cooley]

(Information in this team report is as of October 1.)

COACH AND PROGRAM

Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans

Last Season 13-17 (.433)

Conference Record 8-10 (5th)

Starters Lost/Returning 1/4

Coach Steve Shields (Baylor '88)

Record At School 62-54 (4 years)

Career Record 62-54 (4 years)

RPI Last 5 years 148-187-80-223-230

Arkansas-Little Rock coach Steve Shields might have forgotten how to yell ''Box out!'' over the last two years. He can only hope the words aren't rolling off his tongue again by December. Shields' Trojans are trying to bounce back from a 13-17 season, and they will have to do so without Rashad Jones-Jennings, who led the nation with 13.1 rebounds per game last season. The 6-8 Jones-Jennings, now playing in Korea after spending the summer with the Philadelphia 76ers Summer League team, grabbed approximately 40 percent of the Tro-jans' rebounds (392-of-989) last year.

Compounding Shields' troubles is the fact that fellow big man Byron Ray was also a senior last year. Ray was the Trojans' second-leading rebounder (4.9). It's safe to say that UALR isn't likely to out-rebound opponents by five per game like it did last season. ''When you've gotten used to having a kid like Rashad Jones-Jennings rebounding the ball,'' Shields said, ''there are probably going to be some nights this year where I'm saying, 'Who's rebounding the ball for us?' That's my main concern. Replacing Rashad and Byron Ray's rebounding will take contributions from everyone.'' There will, however, be benefits to the personnel shift in the frontcourt. Jones-Jennings averaged more rebounds than points in each of his seasons in Little Rock and Ray wasn't one to command a double-team either. They did get to the free-throw line frequently, often via offensive rebounds, but neither routinely cashed them in. Jones-Jennings shot 57 percent at the line and Ray shot 52 percent.

''We lose a lot in the frontcourt but we should be much more skilled,'' Shields said. ''Jones-Jennings and Byron were big, strong low-block guys. We'll have some post players this year who can step away from the basket and cause problems.''

UALR will be more experienced this season. Back are two regular starters and two part-time starters from a team that lost six games by six points or less and another in overtime.

PLAYERS

The Trojans return 6-6 junior small forward Lekheythan Malone (8.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg) and 6-7 senior forward Rashad Moss (4.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg). Malone, who started 25 games last year, is a versatile player with strength and athleticism, and a year in the system could bring exponential improvement from Moss. Junior college transfer Shane Edwards will have to have an immediate impact. A 6-7 junior who initially signed with Colorado State during the early period but asked out of his scholarship after a coaching change there, Edwards averaged 13.1 points and 7.6 rebounds while helping Northeastern (Colo.) to a 34-2 record and seventh-place finish nationally.

''He's long and he can get to the foul line,'' Shields said, ''and he can defend perimeter players, too. We were glad to get him after he became available.'' Shields was also happy when 6-6 junior Brandon Patterson and 6-7, 277-pound sophomore Mike Smith went on the market after Rod Barnes was fired at Ole Miss after the 2005-06 season. Both Arkansas natives should make their mark after sitting out last year. Patterson averaged 5.1 points and 2.0 rebounds as a freshman at Ole Miss, and ranked second on the team with 36 three-pointers. He scored a career-high 19 points against Ten-nessee Tech that season. Patterson played in all 30 games as sophomore, making 11 starts and averaging 2.8 points and 1.3 rebounds.

''Brandon Patterson is a basketball player,'' Shields said. ''He sees the floor, he can shoot and he can handle the ball. He's very versatile.'' Smith played in 29 games as a freshman at Ole Miss, averaging 2.2 points and 1.7 rebounds. He had a career-high nine points and 11 rebounds against Alcorn State and had nine points and seven rebounds against Tennessee.

''Mike is strong in the post,'' Shields said, ''and he can step out and shoot it.'' Shields should reap the rewards of a backcourt that had to learn on the job last season. Steven Moore (6.9 ppg, 1.4 rpg), a 6-0 sophomore, started 16 games at point guard as a freshman, 6-1 senior Terrance Akins (12.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg) was playing his first season out of junior college and 6-5 junior De'Andre Eggins (11.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg) was playing his first season healthy.

They each improved considerably during the season. Akins made 40 percent of his three-pointers for the year, but shot 49 percent the second half of the season after completely recovering from a hip flexor. Shields said there was a night-and-day difference in the way Moore ran the offense by late January. Moore also had arguably the best off-season as far as strength and condi-tioning. Another JUCO player who should help right away is 6-4 junior John Fowler. He averaged 12.0 points and 7.1 rebounds for Mineral Area (Mo.) College.

''John is a glue guy who should help our toughness,'' Shields said. The Trojans also expect to get some toughness in a reserve role from 6-6 junior forward LaMarvon Jackson. He averaged 4.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocks last season for Bevill State-Jasper (Ala.), and received scholarship offers as a defensive end in football from Southern Miss and Troy.

Better shooting would aid what ailed the Trojans last season. UALR shot 31.9 percent behind the arc while opponents made 39.2 percent. Come to think of it, guarding the three-point line wouldn't hurt, either. Shields said shooting percentages don't do some of his guards' shooting strokes justice, and anticipates better scoring threats in the frontcourt providing more quality three-point opportunities. Patterson's arrival should help change the complexion of the perimeter percentages, too.

''I really think our guard play will be a strength,'' Shields said. ''I'm excited about the season. This group is team-oriented -- they had an outstanding off-season -- and we'll be more experienced.'' Shields sounds as upbeat as he has since his team won 18 games in 2005. It completed back-to-back division titles for Shields' teams. His Trojans have won 14 and 13, respec-tively, in the ensuing seasons.

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

BACKCOURT: A-

BENCH/DEPTH: B+

FRONTCOURT: B

INTANGIBLES: B+