Jeff Reed: No LoveFest between Red Wolves, Trojans

In this week of love we have a couple of interesting conflicts right in the middle of things.

On Wednesday, the top two teams in the Sun Belt Western Division – UALR and Arkansas State – play and on Thursday the top two teams in the Sun Belt Western Division – UALR and ASU – play. Both games are in Jonesboro.

Did we repeat ourselves? Looks like it. But not really – the top teams in the Sun Belt Western Divisions, both men’s and women’s, are the in-state foes.

As we enter the final three weeks of the college basketball regular season, the two (say this quietly) in-state rivals get together for first of two No-Love-Lost LoveFests. At stake, either a share or the lead in the division.

First the ladies.

The women’s Red Wolves, led by Coach Brian Boyer, started the season with five straight losses and was 2-7 when they finally started to turn their season around. Once Sun Belt play arrived they turned into a different team.

They have been in control of the West for almost all of the season and with the right combination could be celebrating a division title in three games.

But, standing in the way are Joe Foley’s Trojans, who have owned the West the past five seasons.

And against ASU, they have won the last three, last falling in Jonesboro 54-51 in 2011.

UALR (16-7, 8-6) has won five straight to climb into the league race after trailing by as many as three games before that winning streak.

The Red Wolves (13-10, 10-5) lost back-to-back league games last week before rebounding with a 78-74 victory at Western Kentucky. The consecutive losses ended a seven-game winning streak.

The women’s game tips off at 7:05 p.m. and can be heard on AM 920 in Little Rock.

ASU has pulled out several sweetheart promotions to try and attract a crowd for the Valentine’s Day at the Convocation Center between the two men’s teams that have run away from the rest of the West.

Steve Shields’ Trojans (15-10, 9-5) own the top spot by a half game over the Red Wolves but face a big week, starting at ASU, then followed by a home meeting with the best team in the conference, Middle Tennessee (22-4, 14-1) on Saturday.

John Brady’s Red Wolves were the preseason No. 2 pick in the West and were expecting a big season with a team built around seniors Trey Finn, Brandon Peterson and Marcus Hooten.

They have played well against the better teams in the league (they handed Middle Tennessee its only league loss) and have swept Western Kentucky and South Alabama, the top two teams from the East.

ASU was hammed by MTSU (63-50 – but it was not that close) but has won four of its last five. Very good on the defensive end, they won big at WKU 67-49 on Saturday, only the school’s second ever win at Bowling Green.

For UALR, the players change, but Shields always seems to have the Trojans in contention. Coming off a division title, they were the preseason third-place pick. Also winners of four of their last five, the Trojans have a three-game winning streak in the series and seem to have a knack for winning the close games in the series between the rivals.

All four teams meet again in a doubleheader March 2 in Little Rock at the Stephens Center.

For Central Arkansas fans of either team, the game – take your pick – can be heard on 93.3 FM for the ASU call and on 103.7 FM for the UALR broadcast.