The UALR and Arkansas State women's basketball teams have flipped identities in recent weeks.
ASU, which has struggled all season with a young roster, had found an offensive rhythm. UALR, meanwhile, was relying on its defense to pick up the slack for a struggling offense.
When the teams meet at 4 p.m. today at the Jack Stephens Center, it'll be ASU trying to keep pace with UALR.
The Trojans have scored 74 points or more in three consecutive games for the first time in four seasons, while the Red Wolves' improved offense has taken a hit because of injuries. Both will play a factor when the teams meet for the first time this season.
The Trojans shot 35.6 percent from the floor and averaged 50.3 points per game through 12 nonconference games. But in four Sun Belt games, they're shooting a league-best 47.5 percent and scoring 73.2 points per game.
"It's blown up," UALR Coach Joe Foley said of his offense this week. "How'd it happen?"
Foley credits his players for the turnaround, saying their commitment to running the floor has created easy baskets. Senior forward Kaitlyn Pratt has been the biggest beneficiary to the new style. She has scored 24 points, a career-high, in each of her last two games and is averaging 18.8 points per game in conference play.
Pratt's scoring came after she didn't have more than 15 in five consecutive games.
"I've always said as a coach, if you get a post man that will run, sometimes they'll pick up 10-12 points a game just by running," Foley said. "And she's running for us."
It's enough of an improvement to catch the attention of ASU Coach Brian Boyer, who will face face Foley for a 27th time today. Defensively, Boyer sees a UALR team to which he's accustomed, one that's holding teams to 55.4 points per game, but he notices differences offensively.
"They have shown an ability to come out and score quicker than maybe some of the teams in the past," he said.
That was Boyer's team until recently, too.
Led by freshman Jada Ford, the Red Wolves scored 70 or more points four times over five games. But they were slowed in a 76-50 loss at Appalachian State on Jan. 5. A day later, Ford suffered an elbow injury while taking a charge in practice, Boyer said. She won't play today, and could miss a month.
The losses are compounded by season-ending injuries suffered earlier this year to Tayton Hopkins (ACL) and Akasha Westbrook (foot). ASU will likely have eight available players today, and freshman Starr Taylor is nursing an ankle injury, but is expected to play.
"It seems like every time we get into a set rotation or a routine, we have to adjust again," Boyer said. "It affects you on the defensive end as much. It's a little bit of everything."
With options limited at guard, ASU has struggled with turnovers of late. The Red Wolves committed 26 in both losses and are committing 21.0 per Sun Belt game.
"I think it's our youth and our depth and all those things," Boyer said.
Trouble with turnovers would make it even harder for ASU to keep up with surging UALR. The Trojans didn't score more than 63 points in any of their 12 nonconference games, and have scored 74 or more in victories in three games since. It's the first time UALR has scored that well in three games since a stretch of victories against Rice, Troy and Louisiana-Monroe in November 2012.
It's more than even Foley could have expected at times this season.
"That's all I can ask," he said. "I wasn't expecting us to start averaging 70 points in conference games. That's pretty high for us."
UALR women vs. ASU
WHEN 4 p.m. WHERE Jack Stephens Center, Little Rock RECORDS UALR 10-6, 4-0 Sun Belt ; Arkansas State 3-13, 1-3 RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas KNEA-FM, 95.3, in Jonesboro
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
UALR POS. NAME, HT, YR PPG RPG G Monique Townson, 5-6, Jr. 6.7 3.4 G Sharde Collins, 5-9, Sr. 13.2 2.6 G Kyra Collier, 5-9, Fr. 8.5 6.4 F Ronjanae DeGray, 6-0, So. 6.5 5.5 F Kaitlyn Pratt, 6-1, Sr. 14.2 7.3 COACH Joe Foley (274-150 in 14th season at UALR, 729-260 in 30th season overall)
ARKANSAS STATE POS. NAME, HT, YR PPG RPG G Brittany Fowler, 5-8, Sr. 8.2 2.2 G Starr Taylor, 5-6, Fr. 6.3 1.8 G Dominique Oliver, 5-6, Sr. 10.4 3.9 G Tahlon Hopkins, 5-11, Fr. 8.6 4.6 F Ogo Obinabo, 6-2, Jr. 2.6 3.0 COACH Brian Boyer (302-242 in 18th season at Arkansas State and overall)
TEAM COMPARISON
UALR ASU 56.1 Points for 60.9 55.4 Points against 74.0 +2.7 Rebound margin -7.4 +0.5 Turnover margin +0.1 38.7 FG pct. 35.3 25.7 3-pt. pct. 35.9 76.1 FT pct. 64.3
— Troy Schulte
Sports on 01/14/2017