UALR women play waiting game prior to their opener

UALR women’s basketball Coach Joe Foley and the Trojans are ready in New Orleans, but they will not know their opponent in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinals until today.
UALR women’s basketball Coach Joe Foley and the Trojans are ready in New Orleans, but they will not know their opponent in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinals until today.

NEW ORLEANS -- University of Arkansas at Little Rock Coach Joe Foley is in wait-and-see mode like everyone else.

His women's basketball team, the No. 1 seed in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, will not know who its semifinal opponent is until this afternoon.

UALR secured a bye to the semifinal round with the top overall seed, leaving Foley and his staff with a handful of teams to prepare for prior to Friday's 11:30 a.m. tipoff at Lakefront Arena.

"We worked a little [Appalachian] State today," Foley said after practice Wednesday in New Orleans. "We worked a little bit on different teams the first two days. And we worried about some things on our side of the ball."

With the tournament's first two rounds complete, the Trojans have two options for their semifinal opponent: No. 4 seed Georgia State (17-12) or No. 5 seed Appalachian State (17-13).

Appalachian State defeated No. 8 seed Coastal Carolina 78-42 on Wednesday at Lakefront Arena to advance to the tournament quarterfinals against Georgia State. Georgia State and Appalachian State will meet at 11:30 a.m. today.

The Trojans practiced Wednesday afternoon and will again around 1 p.m. today, which is around the time Georgia State and Appalachian State will conclude.

"So, we'll know by tomorrow's practice," Foley said.

UALR delivered a 74-59 victory Jan. 26 against the Mountaineers in Boone, N.C., and blasted Georgia State 82-50 on March 2 at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock.

"This week is pretty much just mental," UALR junior guard Kyra Collier said. "Less things on the floor and more in the film room."

When asked about his two biggest concerns regarding Georgia State and Appalachian State, Foley made note of the Mountaineers' ability to score -- Appalachian State scored 78 total points and 41 in Wednesday's first half.

Foley also pointed out that Georgia State redshirt senior forward Allison Johnson was absent in Little Rock two weeks ago. Johnson, who is 6-0 and averages 11.7 points and 5.8 rebounds, did not play in UALR's 32-point victory.

"Either team is going to be a tough opponent," Foley said.

At a glance

Sun Belt Conference Tournament

FIRST ROUND

Monday's games At campus sites

Coastal Carolina 63, Arkansas St. 49

South Alabama 73, La.-Lafayette 61

At Lakefront Arena, New Orleans

SECOND ROUND

Wednesday's games

Appalachian St. 78, Coastal Carolina 42

South Alabama 68, Texas State 67

THIRD ROUND

Today's games

Georgia State vs. Appalachian State, 11:30 a.m.

Troy vs. South Alabama, 2 p.m.

SEMIFINALS

Friday's games

UALR vs. Georgia State-Appalachian State winner, 11:30 a.m.

Texas-Arlington vs. Troy--Texas State--South Alabama-Louisiana-Lafayette winner, 2 p.m.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Saturday's game

Semifinal winners, 11 a.m.

Sports on 03/14/2019

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