(This is the seventh in a series of stories previewing teams in the Sun Belt Conference.)

LITTLE ROCK TROJANS:  Coach:  Chris Beard (1st season)

2014-15 Record: 13-19, 8-12 Sun Belt (7th)  Lost to South Alabama in SBC First Round

KEY RETURNEES:  F: Roger Woods (11.9, 6.5), G Josh Hagins (12.1, 4.0, 93 assists, 52 steals), G Marius Hill (6.1, 4.4)

KEY LOSSES:  G DeVonte Smith, G Ben Dillard, F James White, C Gus Leeper

There's a lot new in Little Rock.

For starters, there's a new brand.  No longer is the University of Arkansas at Little Rock going by the moniker UALR.  Instead, the University has chosen to embrace the city designation and simply be known as Little Rock.  And, the brand "Little Rock's Team" is being widely used.

And, there's some newness on the court as well.  For the first time in a dozen years a new coach will be pacing the sidelines as Chris Beard takes over as the head man in Little Rock.  Beard was 47-15 in two seasons at Division II Angelo State, including an appearance in the Sweet 16 last season.  Beard is a disciple of Bob Knight. having worked under the Hall of Fame coach at Texas Tech.

Beard will have to combine some veteran players with a lot of newcomers in his first year as head coach of the Trojans.  And, getting everyone on the same page will be a work in progress.

"Team chemistry is a daily struggle, Beard said. "They're trying.  Guys are getting along on and off the floor.  We have a lot of seniors and juniors but they haven't played together much.  We lack team experience.

But Beard has talent.

The Trojans return two key players, Roger Woods and guard Josh Hagins.  Woods averaged nearly 12 points per game and had 6.5 rebounds per contest.  Hagins is one of the league's better scorers who averaged 12 points per game while handing out nearly 100 assists.  Marius Hill had six starts a season ago and averaged six points per game.  In addition, two players who redshirted last year, Keme Osse and Stetson Billings, are back.  Both have Division I experience.

"Woods has the chance to be a very good player.  We are excited about him," Beard said.  "But the key for him is consistency.  From a talent standpoint he's a good player.  But he needs to be consistent."

Little Rock is picked to finish fifth in the league by the coaches.

OUTLOOK:  The hiring of Beard was praised around the league and around the South.  Known for having a solid work ethic, Beard's record at Angelo State speaks for itself.  Now he has to show he can do it at the Division I level.  He's recruited well.  Lis Shoshi, a native of Kosovo and Jalen Jackson, who was part of the national champion junior college team last year, are going to help right away.  Trying to mesh seven returning players with seven new ones, all getting used to a new coach as well as each other, is not an easy thing and will probably be Beard's biggest challenge in year one.  But if they do mesh, this team has some potential to make noise in the league.  The talent is there.

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