LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a blistering first-half offensive display, Arkansas-Little Rock built a commanding lead and then withstood a persistent second-half challenge from Western Illinois to secure an 86-79 victory in an Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball game Saturday afternoon at Jack Stephens Center.

A crowd of 1,454 watched the Trojans improve to 9-10 overall, while the Leathernecks fell to 4-15.

The most pivotal phase of the contest was unquestionably the opening 20 minutes. Arkansas-Little Rock came out scorching from the field, shooting 57.6% in the first half and connecting on 7 of 13 attempts from three-point range. This efficiency, coupled with a perfect 15-for-15 performance at the free-throw line for the game, allowed the Trojans to construct a 50-41 halftime advantage despite 20 first-half points from Western Illinois’ Lucas Lorenzen.

The Trojans’ backcourt duo of Johnathan Lawson and Cameron Wallace set the tone early. Lawson, a 6-foot-7 guard from Memphis, Tennessee, orchestrated the offense with 20 points and four assists in the period, while Wallace, a 6-8 local product from Little Rock, added 13 points. Their combined efforts helped Arkansas-Little Rock answer every early Leatherneck basket with a more potent response, often from beyond the arc.

Western Illinois, led by the game-high 28 points from Isaiah Griffin of Raleigh, North Carolina, never allowed the Trojans to completely pull away. The Leathernecks chipped away in the second half, closing the gap to single digits on multiple occasions by attacking the basket and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities, finishing with 12 offensive rebounds.

A key sequence came with just over six minutes remaining. After Griffin converted a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 67-63, the Leathernecks had multiple opportunities on their next possession to draw closer but were denied by the Trojans’ interior defense. Arkansas-Little Rock’s 6-9 forward Tuongthach Gatkek of Portland, Maine, recorded two of his four blocks during this critical stretch, helping to preserve the lead.

Every time Western Illinois threatened, the Trojans found an answer, often through Lawson or Wallace. Lawson finished with 20 points and four assists, while Wallace posted 21 points and three assists. Kachi Nzeh, a 6-8 forward from Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, provided a crucial interior presence for the Trojans with 18 points, including a key three-pointer late in the shot clock that pushed the lead to 78-70 with just under three minutes to play.

Griffin’s 28-point effort for Western Illinois was supported by 20 points from Lorenzen of Milford, Iowa, and 12 points off the bench from Ifiok Peter of Las Vegas.

Despite being outscored 38-36 in the second half, Arkansas-Little Rock’s first-half margin proved insurmountable. The Trojans’ offensive rating of 124.4 points per 100 possessions, fueled by their 11-for-24 shooting from three and flawless free-throw shooting, ultimately outweighed Western Illinois’ advantage in offensive rebounding and a near-identical turnover count of seven apiece.

The game’s total of 165 points sailed far over the posted over/under line of 135.5. Arkansas-Little Rock, which was projected with a 90.1% probability to win by Interstat’s ELO system, will next travel to face Southeast Missouri State on Thursday. Western Illinois, mired in a five-game losing streak, visits Morehead State on Thursday.