Troy University Athletics
Trojans Return Home Wednesday
1/12/2010 4:00:00 PM | Basketball (W)
TROY, Ala. - The race for Hot Springs, Arkansas and Summit Arena has begun, as the Sun Belt Conference nears the halfway point of the conference season. At the conclusion, the conference season will be at the halfway point, with teams vying for positioning in the conference tournament at the end of the season.
But first things first, the Troy women's basketball team returns to the friendly confines of Trojan Arena after being on the road all of last week to take on the visiting Mean Green of North Texas on Wednesday night.
Troy (9-5, 2-3 Sun Belt) finds itself three games behind East Division-leading South Alabama, whom they will face on the road Saturday, and look to keep pace with the Lady Jags. The Trojans enter the game after defeating FIU in a two-point game, an important two-point victory after losing their first two conference games of the season by the same amount.
The Trojans are led by junior Donette McNair, averaging over 12 points and nearly nine point per game this season. However, they have had different players step up in crucial situtations all season, and on Saturday it was sophomore Tenia Manuel with a career-high 18 points. Manuel made a splash last season for the Trojans in an 80-78 overtime victory over North Texas on the road as she recorded her first career double-double.
Others who have stepped up this season include senior Brittnie Davis, who is averaging double figures this season; senior Alyce Shearing who has had scoring outbursts in double figures in a single half; sophomore Kirsten Smith who hit three 3-pointers against FIU on Saturday to help key the victory; sophomore Sarah McAppion who leads all players off the bench in scoring at over eight points per game; and freshman Sophie Kleeman who has taken the reigns at point guard and scored in double figures five times this season and played an entire 40 minutes five times this season.
The Trojans will take on a North Texas (5-12, 2-4 Sun Belt) team that has won just once in their last six games, a 94-84 victory over New Orleans on Saturday. The Mean Green are led by Brittney James averaging 15 points per game, and Jasmine Godbolt at 11.3 points per game.
North Texas leads the all-time series at 6-2, but the Trojans have won two of the last three meetings; including last year in overtime at the Super Pit.
The game can be heard on WTBF-94.7 FM with Buddy Johnson providing the play-by-play. The pregame show begins at 6:45 pm, followed by a 7 pm tip. Live stats and live webstreaming will also be provided on TroyTrojans.com.
The race for Hot Springs, Arkansas and the Sun Belt Conference Tournament has begun; and you - the fan - can be a part of it. Contact the Troy University Athletics Ticket Office and find out how to purchase tickets for the conference basketball tournament, and come be a part of March Madness. Call 1-877-878-WINS (9467) for more information on the Sun Belt Conference Basketball Tournament ticket.
