Trojans Drop Southern Utah at Home

Tuesday, December 20

Troy, Ala.

7:00 p.m.

Troy University

Southern Utah University

Photo by: Cass Davis

12/20/2011 9:26:00 PM | Basketball (M)

By: Matt Mays

Box Score

TROY, Ala. – The Trojans got back on the winning track and stayed perfect at home with an 80-72 win over Southern Utah (4-6) at Sartain Hall on Tuesday night. The win moves the Trojans to 4-0 at Sartain Hall this season with a final non-conference test against UTSA on Thursday fast approaching.

The Trojans (5-5) welcomed the return of Steven Cunningham who chipped in 10 points off the bench in his first action in a month. The senior was 5-of-9 from the floor and helped the Troy bench outscored Southern Utah's, 37-4.

Justin Wright led the Trojans in scoring with 13 points in his first start of the season. Five of Wright's points came in the final 1:27 as he helped the Trojans pull away down the stretch.

Troy again made under their season average of 10.6 three-pointers per game as they hit just six, but Southern Utah hit just four and committed 14 turnovers while the Trojans committed a season-low seven.

Junior point guard Will Weathers committed no turnovers himself as he dished out 10 assists for the second time this season. Defensively, Tim Owens posted a career-high four blocks to go along with nine points. Ray Chambers also worked hard inside and posted 12 points becoming the third Trojan in double-figures.

The Trojans return to the floor on Thursday when they host UTSA at Sartain Hall. Tip-off for that game is set for 7:00 p.m.

For more information regarding the Trojans visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can get up to the minute updates on Twitter at @TroyAthletics or by becoming fans on Facebook.

TROY 80, SOUTHERN UTAH 72

The Trojans trailed early as it took them over four minutes to get their first field goal. That Emil Jones fast break bucket pulled the Trojans within six at 10-6. A couple of Alan Jones free throws and a Cunningham tip-in in his first action in over a month got the Trojans within four at 12-8 with 12:36 to go.

With the score at 14-8, R.J. Scott nailed a three in his first game out of the starting lineup to put the Trojans within three at 11-14. Scott's three sparked a 10-2 Troy run that included two more fast break baskets and gave the Trojans an 18-16 lead, forcing Southern Utah to call a timeout.

Troy would fall behind again at 24-21, but threes by Emil Jones and Alan Jones sandwiched a Thunderbird bucket and gave the Trojans a 27-26 lead. Nic Combs then stole the ensuing inbounds pass and put the Trojans up 29-26 with 4:20 to go in the first.

Troy would trail 33-31 with 2:10 to go when Daronte Clark hit a three to pull the Trojans ahead. Cunningham would finish an alley-oop from Weathers at the 1:50 mark and that would be the last basket of the half for either team as Troy took a 36-33 lead into the break.

The Trojans shot 40 percent (12-of-30) from the floor in the first half while the Thunderbirds were at 46.7 percent (14-of-30). Troy however forced eight Southern Utah turnovers while committing just three themselves.

Cunningham would come out with good energy again in the second half as he got the Trojans first two buckets to pull Troy ahead by six at 40-34. The Trojans would see the lead grow to as many as nine at 47-38 at the 14:18 mark.

The lead would hover near double-digits for the Trojans until the 4:39 mark when Southern Utah converted an old-fashion three-point play to pull within five at 65-60. Wright would drive the line at the 4:15 mark, draw a foul and make both free throws to put the lead back at seven at 67-60.

The Thunderbirds would cut the lead to as little as two at 67-65, but the Trojans would score four points in less than 20 seconds to run the lead back to six. Chambers hit two free throws and Weathers turned a Southern Utah turnover in the backcourt into his first field goal of the game and a 71-65 Troy lead.

The Trojans would take an insurmountable lead at the 1:27 mark when they broke Southern Utah's first press of the night and Wright hit a three-pointer to give the Trojans a 76-67 lead.