Tremendous Second Half Not Enough as Troy Falls at South Alabama

Saturday, February 22

Mobile, Ala.

7:05 p.m.

Troy University

9-17, 4-10SBC

South Alabama

9-18, 3-11SBC

TROY

South Alabama

Photo by: Joshua Thurston

Tremendous Second Half Not Enough as Troy Falls at South Alabama

2/22/2014 10:33:00 PM | Basketball (M)

Box Score

By: Joe St. Pierre

Box Score

MOBILE, Ala. – Despite a slow start, the Troy men's basketball team (9-17, 4-10 SBC) battled back against South Alabama (9-18, 3-11 SBC), but eventually fell 86-78 at the Mitchell Center on Saturday night.

"I thought we were flat," said head coach Phil Cunningham. "As we left the huddle to go to the floor for the first half I felt like we were flat. I sensed at half time that we could get back in the game because of that little run we made in the last couple minutes of the first half.

The Trojans dug themselves a big hole in the first half, trailing by as many as 26 points. They battled back in the second half to cut the lead, but South Alabama hit its free throws in the end, icing the game.

Troy cut the seemingly insurmountable lead to six points with 7:29 to play on a 3-pointer by Hunter Williams, and again on a 3-ball by Tevin Calhoun two minutes later. Troy's pressure defense was effective in the final minutes, but the large deficit proved to be too much to overcome.

Williams led the Trojans with 24 points, including 5-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc. Jeff Mullahey led the Trojans with eight rebounds and added 11 points. Calhoun and Antoine Myers each scored 14 points.

The Trojans shot 45.8 percent (27-of-59) from the field and 47.6 percent (10-of-21) from beyond the arc. Troy was outrebounded 39-31.

Troy came out cold in the first half, shooting just 28 percent from the field, and trailed 45-24 at the break.

The Trojans return home to take on UALR on Thursday, February 27, at 7 p.m.

Fans can keep up with all the action by following Troy men's basketball on Twitter at @TroyMensHoops and on Instagram at @TroyHoops.

For more information on all of Troy Athletics, fans can find the Trojans on Twitter and Instagram at @TroyAthletics, or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TroyAthletics.