The Opening Tip

   The Trojans look to continue their winning ways when they host Missouri State in the home opener for UALR in the 2012-2013 season. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. At halftime, UALR will honor women's athletics pioneer Betty Jo Stephens in celebration of the 40th anniversary of title IX.

   Tickets range from $7-38 and can be purchased at the door by calling 501-565-UALR.

Quick Hits

•  UALR is 1-0 after a career-high of 33 points from Taylor Gault at Tulsa in the season-opening game Monday (Nov. 12).
•  UALR is 1-8 against Missouri State with all losses coming in Springfield, Mo. UALR’s only win came 68-55 with four Trojans in double figures on Nov. 25, 2007 in Little Rock.
•  UALR is 8-1 with seven-straight wins in home openers under head coach Joe Foley. The average margin of victory is 12.8 and seven of those games have been by double-digits.
•  Taylor Gault currently leads the Sun Belt Conference with 33.0 points per game after shooting 13-20 against Tulsa (.650), the second-best shooting percentage in a game for her career.

Scouting Missouri State

     The Lady Bears are 0-1 to begin the season, but was there loss ever a memorable heartbreaker.

     In its home opener, Missouri State led #22 Oklahoma State 36-29 at halftime before the Cowgirls began the second stanza with a 10-0 run. The Lady Bears tied it twice in the next minute, but OSU took a lead it would not relinquish with a pair of free throws.

     Missouri State showed its depth with 10 players seeing action, eight of which played 17 minutes or more. Bry Snow led the Lady Bears with 12 points while Whitney Edie contributed 10 points and eight boards.

     Last seasons Missouri Valley Conference Champions, the Lady Bears are picked to finish fifth in 2012-13. Senior forward Christiana Shorter was selected preseason All-MVC.

Flashback to Last Year

     UALR led early after an offensive rebound and putback from Megan Williams, but Missouri State rattled off a 10-0 run and never looked back as the Lady Bear claimed a 73-50 win over UALR Nov. 29, 2011 in Springfield, Mo.

     Among returnering players in 2012-13, Janette Merriex led UALR with 13 points, two rebounds and two rejections in 27 minutes coming off the bench. Hannah Fohne led UALR seven points, six rebounds, two asists, two steals and two blocks.

     In a crowded scorecard where 12 different Lady Bears saw action, returner Christiana Shorter scored nine points and added four rebounds. Whitney Edie chipped in six points and grabbed six boards.

They Know Who She Is Now

     Sophomore Taylor Gault did not start and was held scoreless in one game last season: the season-opener against Tulsa Nov. 11, 2011. While only playing nine minutes against the Golden Hurricane, Gault wasted no time catching up in points scored against TU.

    In 38 minutes of action, Gault recorded a career high 33 points on 13-20 (.650 percent) from the field, including 3-4 from beyond the arc, with a 4-4 mark from the charity stripe.

UALR Inks Four in Early Signing Period

     On Wednesday (Nov. 14), the UALR women's basketball team and head coach Joe Foley announced the addition of four players for the 2013-2014 year. UALR welcomes 6-2 forward Antoina Robinson, 6-1 post Kaitlyn Pratt, 6-1 post Keanna Keys and 5-9 guard Sharde Collins.

     Robinson hails from Duncanville, Texas and was a former teammate of current UALR freshman Morgan Bolton. She has played AAU basketball for six years and was also a two-year letter winner for Duncanville High School. In helping the Pantherettes capture the 2011-2012 state title, Robinson averaged 5.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game and was named to the All-District squad for district five.

     A New Orleans native, Pratt averages a double-double with 20.5 points and 10.9 rebounds, along with 3.4 steals and 1.6 blocks per game for McDonogh 35 High School. Other accomplishments include leading her team to a 2012 AAU National Championship, a state playoff berth every year, three District Championships and a pair of appearances in the State Quarterfinals. Individually, Pratt has earned three All-District, two All-Metro and All-State honors.

     From Sumrall, Miss., Keys was named a State High School All-Star, averaging a double-double with 18.7 points and 10 rebounds a game. She has led the Bobcats to the Mississippi Basketball Playoffs every year with Keys earning All-Conference and All-District each of those seasons. In 2012, Keys was named the Conference Most Valuable Player and District Offensive MVP.

     Collins is a potent scorer with an average of 15.8 points per game. She also tallies an average of 8.8 boards, 4.0 steals and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 82 percent from the charity stripe for Liberty-Eylau High School. Collins led the Lady Leopards to a 2010 State Championship.

     Individually, Collins earned All-District honors her first three seasons of her high school career, also being named All-Area and All-Regions for two years as well as an All-State recipient. She also was named Co-MVP of the District and Area with major NCAA Division I prospect Imani Wright.

The Freshmen Report

     While no freshman started, it quickly became trial by fire for the UALR newcomers.

     Forward Carolee Dillard was the first Trojan to make an appearance. While Dillard fouled out in only 12 minutes, she made her presence felt with four rebounds, two points, one block and one steal.

     Guard Morgan Bolton made the next appearance, scoring two points from the line and adding two assists and two steals. Forward Shanity James came next and finished with four points and three rebounds.

      Forward Jakeisha Wells only made a steal, but that steal fueled a key fastbreak layup by sophomore Taylor Gault.

Trojans Rewind: Tulsa

     The Trojans forced two shot-clock violations and held the Golden Hurricane to 20-59 shooting from the field (33.9%) as UALR (1-0) won its season opener 73-64 over Tulsa (0-2) Nov. 12 in Tulsa, Okla.

     Sophomore Taylor Gault led UALR with a career-high 33 points on 13-for-20 shooting from the field. Junior Hannah Fohne narrowly missed her first collegiate double-double with 10 points and nine boards. Junior Taylor Ford added seven points, four rebounds and four assists.

     As a team, UALR used a 29-for-53 effort from the field (54.7 percent)and a 42-31 edge on the boards.

Getting Defensive

     UALR held Tulsa to 20-59 (33.9%) from the field in its season opener, forcing a pair of shot clock violations and junior Hannah Fohne even taking a charge. UALR nearly had a third but freshman Jakeisha Wells grabbed the ball just before time expired and hit a streaking Taylor Gault for a fast-break

layup to cap a 7-0 run and give the Trojans a 47-40 lead with 13 minutes left.