Trojans Pick Up Victory Over Birmingham-Southern

Tuesday, November 23

Troy, AL

7:00 p.m.

Troy University

Birmingham-Southern College

Photo by: Kevin Glackmeyer

Trojans Pick Up Victory Over Birmingham-Southern

11/23/2010 8:24:15 PM | Basketball (W)

Troy holds Birmingham-Southern to just 13 first half points in victory

By: Travis Jarome

Box Score | Post Game Notes | Photo Gallery

TROY, Ala. – The Troy University women's basketball team picked up their first victory of the season, defeating Birmingham-Southern College 58-35 in non-conference action behind a pair of double-doubles and a pair of defensive records.

Junior DeAngela Sword (Montgomery, Ala.) and senior Donette McNair (New London, Conn.) both recorded double-doubles in the victory, the first career double-double for Sword and the third this season for McNair. Sword recorded a game-high and career-high 19 points and 10 rebounds in the victory; while McNair added 10 points and 10 rebounds in the victory.

Junior Tenia Manuel (Leesburg, Fla.) added 12 points and nine rebounds on 50 percent shooting from the floor.

“We are excited to pick up the win tonight,” Troy head coach Michael Murphy said. “To be able to play the kind of game we did tonight after a 10-hour bus ride back on Sunday speaks volumes. I was proud of the defensive effort of the team tonight. We have played well in half court defense all season, and tonight was no different.”

The Trojans, defensively, set a pair of new Division I school records on the evening. They held Birmingham-Southern to just 13 first half points, eclipsing the mark of 15 set by ULM on January 27, 2007; then set a new school record for fewest points allowed by giving up just 35 to the Panthers – breaking the record of 39 by ULM.

Troy (1-4) also held Birmingham-Southern (2-1) to just 24.5 (12-of-49) percent shooting from the floor and just 7.7 (2-of-26) percent from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Trojans shot 40.6 (26-of-64) percent from the floor and 18.8 (3-of-16) percent from beyond the arc.

In the first half, the two teams struggled to find the basket, as the Trojans led just 8-4 over the first 11 minutes of the half. However, the Trojans outscored Birmingham-Southern 14-9 over the final nine minutes of the first half to take a 22-13 halftime lead.

Troy opened the second half up on a 17-2 run to take a commanding 39-15 lead, which proved insurmountable for Birmingham-Southern.

The Trojans will travel to Cincinnati on Wednesday to take on fifth-ranked Xavier University on Friday afternoon.

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