Troy University Athletics
First-Half Shooting Sinks Belhaven, 95-51
1/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | Basketball (M)
Official Game Statistics
Troy vs. Belhaven Game Notes
TROY, Ala. -- Troy posted its best shooting half of the season in the opening period Tuesday -- 67.7 percent -- to open the door to a 95-51 victory over Belhaven at Trojan Arena. The Trojans, winners of three straight entering its first-ever Sun Belt Conference game Saturday, had five players top double figures.
Jacob Hazouri hit his first eight shots fron the field, five from three-point range, enroute to 21 points, while Bobby Dixon added 18 points. Cedric Jackson tallied 13 points, Boo Ramsey 12 and Sammy Sharp 10.
James Bryant led Belhaven (5-6) with 18 points.
The main thing is that we did not take this game lightly," said head coach Don Maestri. "There was an obvious difference in talent early on. We had to play to keep getting better and we did that. The last three games put us in a position to be competitive in this league."
Troy (7-5) led 15-13 seven minutes into the contest before a 7-0 run stretched the lead to nine. Hazouri started the run with a three-pointer and a layup. The Blazers kept the deficit around double-digits and trailed by eight, 29-21, when the Trojans exploded again.
Dixon made a layup and the second of two free throws befre Ramsey hit back-to-back three-pointers that made the lead 17, 38-21, with just over six minutes left in the half. After the lead was reduced to 12, 43-31, with 2:29 to play, Troy finished the stanza on 12-2 run to stretch the lead to its biggest point thus far, 55-33 at the break.
The shooting percentage cooled in the second half, but the defense heated up, limiting Belhaven to 29.2 percent -- and a season-low 18 points -- for the period. The Trojans outscored the Blazers 40-18 in the period to post their biggest win of the season, 44 points.
"Jake (Hazouri) and Boo (Ramsey) came out on fire and C.J. (Cedric Jackson) shot well," added Maestri. "Bobby (Dixon) is really starting to show his leadership and that is something this team really needs.
Ten of the 11 active players found the scoring column. Redshirt freshman Daryl Davis grabbed a career-high nine rebounds, while true freshman Josh Williams contributed a career-best eight assists.
The seven wins during non-conference play are the third-most in 14 years of Division I basketball. However, the Trojans now face the real challenge of stepping into the Sun Belt Conference. The initial game in league play is Saturday night at in-state rival South Alabama.
