EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Little Rock left no doubt. With national television attention turned towards Little Rock's Team, the nation's fourth-best scoring defense did not disappoint, holding host SIUE to just four points in the final quarter as the Trojans pulled away in a dominating 61-38 win.
The Trojans (19-9, 16-1 Ohio Valley) clinched the outright title by increasingly denying SIUE (8-20, 7-10) scoring opportunities and taking advantage of miscues. Little Rock scored 26 points off 19 Cougar turnovers and held SIUE – a team that normally shoots 30% from long range – to a 0-for-14 night from beyond the arc.