Troy University Athletics
Trojans Look to Rebound Against UALR
1/23/2008 6:00:00 AM | Basketball (W)
TROY, Ala. - The Troy University women's basketball team will look to end a modest two-game losing streak when they host Arkansas-Little Rock Thursday evening at 5:15 p.m. at Trojan Arena.
Troy (9-9, 2-5 SBC) has dropped consecutive games to two of the top teams in each division of the Sun Belt Conference, Middle Tennessee and Arkansas State, and welcomes Arkansas State (13-5, 5-2 SBC) to Trojan Arena - winners of four consecutive games. The Trojans of Arkansas-Little Rock are currently tied for the lead in the West Division of the conference, and were picked to win that same division in the preseason by the league's coaches.
UALR is led by this week's Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, Nikya Hughes, averaging 14.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. She also shots 44.7 percent from the floor and has recorded 21 blocked shots this season in 18 games. Sophomore guard Kim Sitzmann is also averaging in double figures for the Trojans, scoring 14.1 points per game while shooting 40.2 percent from the floor and 37.4 percent from behind the arc.
They average 62.2 points per game, while only giving up 51.5 points per game over 18 games. UALR also shots 43 percent from the floor, while holding opponents to just 36.2 percent shooting from behind the arc.
"Arkansas-Little Rock is the type of team that if you going to win you are
going to have to grind it out every possession," Troy head coach Michael Murphy said. "They are hard nosed, well-coached and they have a good
inside-outside game. We are going to
have play very well to give ourselves a chance to win the game."
Meanwhile, the Trojans of Troy were picked to finish fourth in the preseason and are currently one game out of third place where South Alabama and Florida International are tied in the standings. They are led by senior guard Amy Lewis, averaging 18.2 points per game and shooting 48.8 percent from the floor. She also shoots 42.9 percent from behind the arc and 80 percent from the free throw line. Junior guard/forward Kylie Morrissy also averages in double figures, scoring 13.5 points per game and grabbing 5.4 rebounds per game.
The Trojans average 63.1 points per game, while giving up 62.9 points per game. They also shoot 43.7 percent from the floor and are in the top five in the NCAA, in three-point field percentage by connecting on 41 percent of their shots from behind the arc.
Troy University will have a special guest on hand in Trojan Arena for both the men's and women's games. The Australian Consul General, Amanda Hodges, will be in attendance at both games to help celebrate Australia Day, which takes place on January 26, as part of her trip to Troy.
The game can be heard on WTBF-FM 94.7 with airtime at 5 pm.
GAME FACTS
Date: Thursday, January 24, 2008
Time: 5:15 p.m.
Site: Troy, Ala.
Coliseum: Trojan Arena
Capacity: 4,000
National Rankings (AP/ESPN-USA Today): Troy (NR/NR); UALR (NR/NR)
Television: Visit www.troytrojans.com to watch today's game.
Radio: Tonight's game can heard on WTBF-94.7 FM and www.troytrojans.com.
Commentators: Play-by-play: Buddy Johnson; Color: Taylor Barbaree.
Internet: Visit www.troytrojans.com for live statistics.
Tickets: Visit www.troytrojans.com for more information.
Forecast: Sunny
Temps: High 43, Low 24
TROJAN STORYLINES
Troy will look to end a two-game losing streak, just the second time this season that the Trojans have lost back-to-back games ... the Trojans have lost back-to-back conference games for the first time this season ... Troy will begin its longest homestand of the season, a three-game homestand against Arkansas-Little Rock, Louisiana-Lafayette and Louisiana-Monroe ... senior guard Laura Lee Holman is expected sit out tonight's game against Arkansas-Little Rock, but is expected to return to the court against Louisiana-Lafayette Sunday afternoon after being injured last week in practice.
ON THIS DATE IN TROJAN HISTORY
Troy is 4-4 all-time on this date in their history of playing women's basketball ... The first time the Trojans played on this date, they defeated Okaloosa-Walton Community College on the road 81-62 en route to a 16-10 record in 1977 ... Troy lost their first game on this date in 1979 to Tuskegee on the road, 81-53, en route to a 21-9 record ... the Trojans lost their second game on this date, falling to North Alabama on the road 61-55 in 1981 ... the Trojans rebounded in 1983 when they defeated Jacksonville State 77-47 at home ... Troy defeated Mississippi University for Women 73-66 in 1987 ... the Trojans lost the first game as members of NCAA Division I on this date in 1998, falling to Jacksonville State 82-79 on the road ... however, they rebounding against Samford in 2002 by defeating Samford on the road, 74-58 ... the Trojans dropped their first game on this date under current head coach Michael Murphy, falling to Florida Atlantic 69-63 on the road.
THE LAST TIME, UALR vs. TROY
* Arkansas-Little Rock and Troy last met February 10 of last season at Trojan Arena. The Trojans fell to Arkansas-Little Rock 58-51, after trailing just 29-27 at halftime in front of 500 people in Troy. Arkansas-Little Rock shot 43.5 (20-of-46) percent from the floor, 41.2 (7-of-17) percent from behind the arc and just 61.1 (11-of-18) percent from the free throw line. Meanwhile, Troy shot 40.9 (18-of-44) percent from the floor, 50 (6-of-12) percent from behind the arc and 90 (9-of-10) percent from the free throw line. Troy was paced Amy Lewis with 15 points, while Kylie Morrissy added 10 in the loss. The four players who played in the game for Troy and returned for this season, scored just 23 points. Meanwhile, Arkansas-Little Rock placed four players in double figures in the victory.
THE SERIES vs. ARKANSAS STATE
* This will be the fourth meeting all-time between Troy and Arkansas-Little Rock, with the Trojans of UALR leading the all-time series 3-0. Arkansas-Little Rock has recorded two victories at Trojan Arena; including a 71-46 victory on February 2, 2006 and a 48-38 on December 30 of last season. Arkansas-Little Rock also won the only meeting between the two teams in Little Rock, claiming a 58-51 victory on February 10 of last season.
* This will be the third meeting in Troy.
STAT LINE OF THE DAY
* Sophomore Brittnie Davis may not have recorded the numbers usually reserved for this column, however, she did all the little things needed for the Trojans. After leaving the floor in the first 10 seconds after being injured, Davis returned to score five points and grab seven rebounds. She also recorded on steal, drew two charges and forced two jump balls to give the Trojans the ball.
CAREER NOTES
* Senior Laura Lee Holman scored her 1073rd career point Saturday afternoon, moving her up the scoring chart in the history of Troy basketball. She is currently in 13th place, just three points behind Jane Shulsen for 12th all-time.
* Senior Amy Lewis scored her 1,000th career point last season and is currently seventh on the all-time list with 1,430 points. She has passed Vicki Carreker for seventh all-time at Troy against Middle Tennessee, and is just 58 points behind Makeshia Sampson for sixth place all-time in school history.
* Lewis scored her 1,000th career point in Sun Belt Conference play with her performance against North Texas. She has scored 1,058 points in just 74 games played since Troy joined the Sun Belt Conference during her sophomore season.
* Lewis is just 55 rebounds short of joining the 1,000 point-500 rebounds club. She has all ready recorded 200 assists.
* Senior Audrey Muse is one game away from playing in her 100th career game.
* Muse recorded her 500th rebound against Fordham, and is just 153 points away from 1,000 career points.
* Junior Kylie Morrissy is 133 rebounds away from 500 for her career, and 22 assists away from 200 career.
* Morrissy is 152 points away from recording her 1,000th career point.
* Junior Danielle Realph is 25 three-point field goals away from recording her 100th of her career. She is currently the school's all-time leader in three point field goal percentage.
* Head coach Michael Murphy has recorded a 71-87 record at Troy University. He is currently 22 victories shy of tying Jerry Hester at 93 victories at the institution. He has also recorded 143 all-time in his career.
