Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans Focus on Rebounding Ahead of OVC Tournament

Coach Darrell Walker emphasizes the importance of rebounding as his team enters postseason play.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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When asked about the key factor for success in the upcoming Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, Arkansas-Little Rock men's basketball coach Darrell Walker stressed the importance of rebounding the basketball. Walker, who played in the NBA alongside some of the best rebounders in the game's history, believes the team that wins the rebounding battle will ultimately prevail. The seventh-seeded Trojans open tournament play on Wednesday against sixth-seeded Lindenwood, a high-scoring team that Walker says his squad must contain in transition.

Why it matters

The Trojans had a disappointing regular season, finishing 12-19 overall, but managed to secure a spot in the OVC Tournament. As a team picked to win the conference in the preseason, UALR will be looking to rediscover its form and make a deep postseason run. Rebounding, an area of emphasis for Walker, could be the key to the Trojans' success or failure in the tournament.

The details

UALR suffered through a six-game losing streak during the middle of the conference schedule but finished the regular season by winning three of its final six games. The emergence of Joseph Thomas in the final game provided a much-needed boost, as he scored a career-high 19 points while starting in place of the suspended leading scorer Johnathan Lawson. Lindenwood, UALR's first-round opponent, is a high-powered offensive team led by Anias Futrell, who leads the OVC in scoring. Walker knows his team must get back in transition and limit Lindenwood's transition opportunities to have a chance at winning.

  • The OVC Tournament begins on Wednesday, March 5, 2026.
  • UALR's first-round game against Lindenwood is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Central on Wednesday, March 5, 2026.

The players

Darrell Walker

The head coach of the Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans men's basketball team, who played in the NBA for 10 seasons and was teammates with some of the best rebounders in basketball history.

Joseph Thomas

A UALR player who emerged in the final game of the regular season, scoring a career-high 19 points while starting in place of the suspended leading scorer Johnathan Lawson.

Johnathan Lawson

The leading scorer for UALR and a first-team All-OVC selection, who was suspended for the final regular-season game due to making contact with an official while arguing a call.

Anias Futrell

The leading scorer in the OVC, who plays for UALR's first-round opponent, Lindenwood.

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What they’re saying

“We got to rebound the ball. That's the most important thing. If we rebound the basketball, we'll be fine. The shot goes up, we got to rebound the basketball.”

— Darrell Walker, Head Coach, Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans (nwaonline.com)

“For me, I've always liked the underdog story. I've always kept my head down and (kept) working. ... Practices, warmups, I took them seriously. When it was time for me to get on that floor, preparation met opportunity.”

— Joseph Thomas, Arkansas-Little Rock Player (nwaonline.com)

“Futrell is one of the best, if not the best shooter in the league. The game we beat them, they didn't have a lot of transition points. You got to get back in transition to stop them. They're really good in transition.”

— Darrell Walker, Head Coach, Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans (nwaonline.com)

What’s next

The winner of the UALR-Lindenwood matchup will advance to the quarterfinals and take on No. 3 seed Southeast Missouri State.

The takeaway

As the Trojans enter the postseason, their ability to control the boards and limit Lindenwood's transition opportunities will be crucial to their success. Coach Walker's emphasis on rebounding reflects his experience playing alongside some of the NBA's all-time great rebounders, and his team will need to embrace that mentality to make a deep run in the OVC Tournament.