Troy University Athletics
Saturday, December 1
Corpus Christi, TX
4:00 PM
Troy University
73
at
52
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Trojans lead coast-to-coast in victory
12/1/2007 6:00:00 AM | Basketball (M)
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The Troy University men's basketball team trailed just one time against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, defeating the Islanders 73-52 at the Bank of America Center Saturday afternoon.
The Trojans held a one-point lead at the break and continued that lead until Chris Daniels' lay-up 53 seconds into the second half gave the Islanders a 31-30 lead. The lead stayed that way until Justin Jonus hit a three-pointer with 17:27 remaining in the contest, giving the Trojans a lead they would not relinquish at 33-31.
“We were just fighting for the win,” Troy head coach Don Maestri said. “When they took that lead everyone on the bench was just saying ?don't worry about it.' We knew what we had to do.”
After Texas A&M-Corpus Christi closed the lead to 37-35, the Trojans went on a 26-11 run to open up a 63-46 lead with 6:42 remaining the contest.
The run started when Jonus missed a three-pointer but gathered in his own rebound, and finished the lay-up to extend the lead to 39-35 with 15:53 remaining in the game. O'Darien Bassett scored the next two trips down the floor for the Trojans, extending the lead to 44-35 with 15:07 remaining in the contest. After a Daniels lay-up, Troy used a free throw by Mario Telfair and a fastbreak lay-up from Tom Jervis to push the lead to 47-37 with 11:58 to go.
After a lay-up by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, the Trojans reeled off four consecutive points to push the lead to 51-39 with just 10:09 remaining in the contest. The Trojans scored 12 points over the next 2:59 to open the 17-point lead over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
The first half was much the same as the Trojans led the entire first 20 minutes.
“The start was important for us,” Maestri said. “We have been struggling and we finally had all 12 players back on the floor. Everyone was competing and the chemistry was there for us. We performed well tonight, and this was a total team effort.”
After losing the opening tip for just the second time all season, the Trojans jumped ahead of Texas A&M Corpus Christi 7-0 in the opening three minutes of the contest on two steals by Bassett.
Following a pair of baskets by the Islanders, Troy was able to extend their lead to 12 points at 24-12 with 7:41 remaining. Bassett continued his defensive pressure after the opening two steals, converting another steal after the lead was trimmed to 7-3. The ensuing inbounds pass was stolen by Trayce Macon who jammed the ball for an 11-3 lead with 16:29 remaining in the half. Troy would continue to pressure the Islanders, going on an 17-9 run for the 12-point lead.
The Islanders battled back trimmed the lead down to one late in the half, and had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds of the half. The desperation three-pointer failed, and the Trojans held a 31-30 lead.
Troy used their quickness and their outside shooting to offset the size differential of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, by shooting 45.5 (10-of-22) percent from outside the arc for the contest.
The Trojans also shot 41.5 (22-of-53) percent from the floor and 73.1 (19-of-26) percent from the free throw line.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (1-4), a tournament team last season, shot just 37.7 (20-of-63) percent from the floor and 7.7 (2-of-26) percent from behind the arc. They also outrebounded the Trojans 45-39.
Bassett led the Trojans with a game-high 17 points, while Jonus added 14 points in the victory. The Islanders had no one in double figures for the game.
Troy (2-4) returns to action December 4 against Shorter College. The game is set for 7:30 p.m. at Trojan Arena.
The Trojans held a one-point lead at the break and continued that lead until Chris Daniels' lay-up 53 seconds into the second half gave the Islanders a 31-30 lead. The lead stayed that way until Justin Jonus hit a three-pointer with 17:27 remaining in the contest, giving the Trojans a lead they would not relinquish at 33-31.
“We were just fighting for the win,” Troy head coach Don Maestri said. “When they took that lead everyone on the bench was just saying ?don't worry about it.' We knew what we had to do.”
After Texas A&M-Corpus Christi closed the lead to 37-35, the Trojans went on a 26-11 run to open up a 63-46 lead with 6:42 remaining the contest.
The run started when Jonus missed a three-pointer but gathered in his own rebound, and finished the lay-up to extend the lead to 39-35 with 15:53 remaining in the game. O'Darien Bassett scored the next two trips down the floor for the Trojans, extending the lead to 44-35 with 15:07 remaining in the contest. After a Daniels lay-up, Troy used a free throw by Mario Telfair and a fastbreak lay-up from Tom Jervis to push the lead to 47-37 with 11:58 to go.
After a lay-up by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, the Trojans reeled off four consecutive points to push the lead to 51-39 with just 10:09 remaining in the contest. The Trojans scored 12 points over the next 2:59 to open the 17-point lead over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
The first half was much the same as the Trojans led the entire first 20 minutes.
“The start was important for us,” Maestri said. “We have been struggling and we finally had all 12 players back on the floor. Everyone was competing and the chemistry was there for us. We performed well tonight, and this was a total team effort.”
After losing the opening tip for just the second time all season, the Trojans jumped ahead of Texas A&M Corpus Christi 7-0 in the opening three minutes of the contest on two steals by Bassett.
Following a pair of baskets by the Islanders, Troy was able to extend their lead to 12 points at 24-12 with 7:41 remaining. Bassett continued his defensive pressure after the opening two steals, converting another steal after the lead was trimmed to 7-3. The ensuing inbounds pass was stolen by Trayce Macon who jammed the ball for an 11-3 lead with 16:29 remaining in the half. Troy would continue to pressure the Islanders, going on an 17-9 run for the 12-point lead.
The Islanders battled back trimmed the lead down to one late in the half, and had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds of the half. The desperation three-pointer failed, and the Trojans held a 31-30 lead.
Troy used their quickness and their outside shooting to offset the size differential of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, by shooting 45.5 (10-of-22) percent from outside the arc for the contest.
The Trojans also shot 41.5 (22-of-53) percent from the floor and 73.1 (19-of-26) percent from the free throw line.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (1-4), a tournament team last season, shot just 37.7 (20-of-63) percent from the floor and 7.7 (2-of-26) percent from behind the arc. They also outrebounded the Trojans 45-39.
Bassett led the Trojans with a game-high 17 points, while Jonus added 14 points in the victory. The Islanders had no one in double figures for the game.
Troy (2-4) returns to action December 4 against Shorter College. The game is set for 7:30 p.m. at Trojan Arena.
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