"Bench"-mark Victory for Trojans

Monday, December 17

TROY

7:00 PM

Troy University

Jacksonville University

12/17/2007 6:00:00 AM | Basketball (M)

TROY, Ala.- Sophomore Brandon Hazzard comes off the bench to score a career-high 27 points, including 22 in the first half as the Trojans rolled to a 98-80 win over Jacksonville Monday night at Trojan Arena.

“We got off to a slow start tonight with our starters,” head coach Don Maestri said. “Our bench had another good night. They jump started our team and turned the game around for us.”

Troy (6-4) missed its' first six shots as the Dolphins jumped out to an early 8-2 lead but the Trojans bench was ready and willing to go to work.

After a Jerome Odem three-pointer at the 14:26 mark, the Trojans bench scored the next 48 points to close out the half. Hazzard led the charge with 19 first half points in only 10 minutes of work.

“I want to help my team any way that I can,” Hazzard said. “Coming off of the bench, it is my job to help the starters out when they are not cooking.”

The Dolphins' bench failed to score a single point in the first half and only scored 16 in the game.

Jacksonville (3-7) had a good night shooting the basketball connecting on 46 percent of its shots. The Dolphins had four players with double figures. Marcus Allen led the way 19 points with Ben Smith adding 14. Evan Jefferson and Ayron Hardy each had 13.

The Trojans' bench scored 70 of the 98 points in the contest.

Junior Mario Telfair also scored a career-high 20 points to go along with six rebounds.

“This is a big win for us heading in to conference play,” Maestri said. “South Alabama is playing the best of any team in the league and it will be a big challenge for our team.”

The Trojans will open conference play against South Alabama Thursday night in Mobile, Ala. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.