UALR searching for answers
Posted on Thursday, January 8, 2009
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/CHRIS DEAN Coach Steve Shields and the UALR Trojans will look to rebound from their loss to Western Kentucky when they host North Texas today.
After a week of "soul-searching", UALR learns tonight if it found what it was looking for.
UALR (9-5, 2-1 Sun Belt Conference) hosts North Texas (8-6, 1-2) at 7 tonight at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock in a matchup of teams both needing a victory.
"I think we'll find out [tonight], I think we'll find out Saturday, I think we'll find out the next game," said UALR Coach Steve Shields, who said after Saturday's 79-47 loss at Western Kentucky that his team was in "soul searching" mode. "Right now, every team is going in one direction or the other. None of us stay the same. We're either going upward or we're going downward."
UALR started the season 5-0, but since has alternated victories and defeats. North Texas has lost four consecutive games, but is coming off a good effort against Arkansas in an 86-75 loss at Alltel Arena in North Little Rock on Saturday.
UALR starting point guard Brandon Patterson dislocated a finger in practice this week. He missed some practice time, but is expected to play tonight. North Texas starting guard Collin Dennis, who did not play against Arkansas, has apparently rejoined the team. He is expected to play tonight.
Shields has leaned on seniors Shane Edwards, LaMarvon Jackson, Fowler and Patterson in practice this week.
"I've got all the confidence in those seniors. Fowler has been outstanding from an example standpoint and a vocal standpoint this week. Brandon, when he's been able to practice, has been very good. And LaMarvon is exceptional by example and Shane has been solid as well," Shields said. "We're going to be as good as our leadership is."
The leadership couldn't pull the Trojans out of a funk on Saturday. UALR didn't score for the game's first 10 minutes and fell behind 14-0. The Trojans trailed 35-15 at halftime and Western Kentucky's lead reached 37 points in the second half. UALR never made a serious run in the game.
"The most disappointing thing to me as we were trying to fight back into the game, you could see in some guys' faces that they weren't into it," said Fowler, who finally broke the ice on Saturday with a free throw to make the score 14-1. "That was what hurt me the most."
UALR and North Texas were picked in a first-place tie in the Sun Belt Conference's West Division, and neither can afford to fall behind early in the conference race.
"All of these games are important. If you're going to be in a conference race and play for a conference championship, you have to protect your home court," Shields said. "We've been able to do that so far in conference play. It's important again against North Texas."
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