It's never good to open a basketball game with 11 consecutive missed shots, but the University of Arkansas at Little Rock men did just that Wednesday night.
It's also never good to yield 16 three-point baskets on 32 attempts, but the Trojans had that happen to them as well in an 81-55 loss to Missouri State in front of 1,057 at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock.
Good thing UALR Coach Darrell Walker has been around a while.
"I've found in this business, especially the NBA, to move on to the next game real quick," Walker said. "I'll break the film down and show it to my team. You've got to explain things to your guys."
Walker said he doesn't need to have a long talk with his team, which had as many key players sitting on the bench in sweatsuits because of injuries as it did in uniform.
Two aspects stood out to Walker -- the 0-for-11 shooting in the opening 7:12 that resulted in a 14-0 Missouri State lead, and the Trojans not following the defensive game plan when it came to slowing down the Bears' three-point shooters.
"We didn't make any shots," Walker said. "If we could have been down 14-8 or 14-9, then it could have been a different story."
There was also the part about the Bears' three-point shooting.
Missouri State (5-5) came into the game averaging nine three-point baskets per game on 37.0% shooting. But the Bears were much better than that Wednesday, connecting on 10 of 18 in the first half and 6 of 14 in the second half.
"They took us off the dribble all night," Walker said. "They had guys that could go off the dribble, and they took us off the dribble."
Ja'Monta Black led Missouri State with 25 points, hitting 7 of 14 three-pointers.
Jaylen Minnett, 4 of 6 on three-pointers, contributed 17 points.
Part of the reason they were able to get free was the presence of 6-5 slashing guard Isiaih Mosley (21 points, six rebounds), 6-8 forward Donovan Clay (nine rebounds) and 6-9 forward Gaige Prim (10 points, five rebounds), who came into the game averaging 19.6 points and 10 rebounds.
"We didn't match up with their three-point shooters when we said be on the ball," Walker said. "Some of the shots came because we had to trap in the post because they were so big."
UALR (4-6) has a chance to get back on track in the next few weeks, with games scheduled against tiny intracity foe Philander Smith College (6-4) on Saturday at the Stephens Center.
A game next Tuesday at the University Central Arkansas will be followed by a Dec. 21 home game against Jacksonville (Ala.) State before Sun Belt Conference play begins Dec. 30.
"We've got to keep pounding away," Walker said. "Nobody's coming back no time soon. I'm going to keep coaching like you saw me coaching tonight and see what happens."
The list of injured included players who could or would be in the lineup starts with 6-10 senior forward Nikola Maric, and extends to junior forward DeAntoni Gordon, freshman guard Chris Walker, senior guard CJ Walker and freshman forward Ethan Speaker.
Maric was averaging 12.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in 6 games before suffering an injury that will keep him out until the beginning of Sun Belt play.
Gordon was averaging 10.4 points and 4.4 rebounds in 8 games before being sidelined.
"We are what we are," Walker said. "I'm not going to change. I'm going to stay positive with my team and keep correcting them and see what happens."
Wednesday night, Walker said it might not have mattered what the Trojans did against a Missouri State team that could not miss.
"They shot 16 of 32 from the three-point line," Walker said. "Fifty percent. You're not winning that game."
UALR was 10 of 24 on three-point shots, and the Trojans were 22 of 48 from the field after shooting blanks at the start.
The Trojans were led by Marko Lukic (15 points, 5 assists) and Isaiah Palermo (12 points 7 rebounds).
"I kept telling my staff, if we could just go on a 6-0, or 8-0 run -- boom, boom, boom, boom -- and put them on their heels a bit," Walker said, "but we never could do that."