Soon, the Trojans expect to have their entire roster healthy.
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will complete its nonconference schedule with two road games at the University of Memphis on Wednesday and at Georgetown on Dec. 22. By the time Sun Belt Conference play begins Jan. 3 at Louisiana-Monroe, four Trojans could return from injury.
"Hopefully one of these days, I can get my whole team back and we can really go to war," UALR Coach Darrell Walker said Tuesday.
Starting sophomore point guard Jaizec Lottie exited Tuesday's 67-47 victory against Miles College with what Walker originally said were cramps. Lottie remained on UALR's bench well after Tuesday's game ended, writhing in pain and unable to walk off the floor. Walker said he did not believe Lottie's injury was serious.
Junior guard Deondre Burns, whose 10.6 points per game are the second most among all Trojans, is nursing a toe injury and may return while UALR is on the road.
"It'd be great to get Burns and [junior guard Ryan] Pippins back," Walker said. "But I'm not Mike Neal [UALR's head athletic trainer], so I can't tell you that because I don't know. But it'll be great if we had those guys back for this road trip and kind of have our whole team back and go from there."
Pippins pulled a hamstring before UALR's 85-82 home loss against the University of Central Arkansas on Saturday. The Trojans' most trusted guard off the bench who is averaging 9.4 points in 29.7 minutes per game has missed UALR's past two games.
"Pip is fine," Walker said. "He had a pretty serious hamstring pull. I wanted to be careful and not play him [Tuesday].
"We've got some games coming up. We've got two on the road. And we keep forgetting, in two weeks, it'll be conference time to play Louisiana-Monroe on the road. So I want my team hopefully full strength at that time."
Freshman point guard Markquis Nowell rejoined the Trojans on Dec. 8 after a three-game absence because of a sprained ankle. Nowell played 10 minutes versus UCA and 29 Tuesday.
With Lottie's availability unknown, Nowell's return to point guard is a relief from UALR's injury bug.
"It's good. It's good to have him back. He's almost back to 100 percent," Walker said. "You can see he's still limping a little bit. But he can pass the ball, and he can shoot the ball. He's not shooting the ball as well as he's capable because he's been out for a while, and I'm sure he's trying to find his rhythm."
The Trojans (5-6), who do not have a senior on this year's roster, have not had 10 players available in a single game since Nov. 23.
Sophomore forward Damir Hadzic, one of six Trojans to return from the 2017-2018 season, suffered a broken wrist before UALR's season-opener Nov. 8 and has yet to play this season. He is expected back near the beginning of 2019.
Hadzic posted 4.1 points in 26 total games (11 starts) as a 6-8 freshman last season.
Up next
UALR MEN AT MEMPHIS
WHEN 7 p.m. Central, Wednesday
WHERE FedEx Forum, Memphis
RECORDS UALR 5-6, Memphis 5-4
UALR men (5-6)
DATE OPPONENT TIME/RESULT
Nov. 8 SE Oklahoma St. W, 101-92 (OT)
Nov. 13 at Tennessee State W, 83-67
Nov. 16 at Nevada# L, 87-59
Nov. 19 at Tulsa# L, 88-78
Nov. 23 Howard# W, 97-76
Nov. 24 UAPB# L, 75-66
Nov. 28 at Central Arkansas L, 78-65
Dec. 1 Sam Houston State W, 79-52
Dec. 4 Bradley L, 68-62
Dec. 8 Central Arkansas L, 85-82
Dec. 11 Miles College W, 67-47
Dec. 19 at Memphis 7 p.m.
Dec. 22 at Georgetown 11 a.m.
Jan. 3 at La.-Monroe* 7 p.m.
Jan. 5 at La.-Lafayette* 7 p.m.
Jan. 10 Troy* 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 12 South Alabama* 3 p.m.
Jan. 17 at Texas State* 7 p.m.
Jan. 19 at Texas-Arlington* 2 p.m.
Jan. 24 Coastal Carolina* 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 26 Appalachian State* 3 p.m.
Feb. 2 Arkansas State* 5:30 p.m.
Feb. 7 at Troy* 6 p.m.
Feb. 9 at South Alabama* 3:05 p.m.
Feb. 14 Texas-Arlington* 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 16 Texas State* 3 p.m.
Feb. 23 at Arkansas State* 7 p.m.
Feb. 28 at Georgia Southern* 6 p.m.
Mar. 2 at Georgia State* noon
Mar. 7 La.-Lafayette* 6:30 p.m.
Mar. 9 La.-Monroe* 3 p.m.
Mar. 11-16 at SBC Tournament, New Orleans
*Sun Belt game
#Las Vegas Holiday Classic game
Sports on 12/13/2018