Troy University Athletics
Saturday, February 13
Troy, Ala.
2 p.m.
Troy University
12-11, 7-7
89
vs
78
Georgia State
9-14, 4-10
1
2
3
4
F
Georgia State
21
6
29
22
78
Troy
26
15
27
21
89
Team Stats
GSU
TROY
FG%
.413
.406
3FG%
.118
.355
FT%
.737
.688
RB
37
52
TO
14
21
STL
9
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
29
FGM
10
3FGM
3
FTM
6
Pts
23
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
9
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Basketball (W)
F
/ Basketball (W)F
/ Basketball (W)G
/ Basketball (W)G
/ Basketball (W)Photo by: Chris Davis
Troy Women Race to Second Straight Win in Play 4Kay Game
2/13/2016 5:05:00 PM | Basketball (W)
TROY, Alabama – The Troy women's basketball team grabbed its second straight win, leading wire-to-wire in an 89-78 win over Georgia State in Troy's annual Play 4Kay game on Saturday at Trojan Arena.
Just two nights after they combined for 50 points, Ashley Beverly Kelley and ArJae' Saunders combined for 52 points as Troy (12-11, 7-7) completed the season sweep of Georgia State. The two also combined for 15 rebounds as Troy dominated on the glass, outrebounding GSU, 52-37, for a season-high plus-16 rebounds margin.
Beverly Kelley scored 29 on 10-of-19 shooting, including scored 14 in the fourth quarter, with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Saunders scored 23, including 9-of-15 free throws, with eight rebounds.
La'Tia Fils-Aime' also scored in double figures with 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting and chipped in six rebounds. Kristen Emerson started and grabbed eight rebounds to tie with Saunders for game-high honors.
"I though we had another great effort rebounding, especially from our guards," Troy head coach Chanda Rigby said. "To me, rebounding is the tale of the tape as to why we are being successful right now, that and hitting shots."
Troy tied a season high with 12 3-pointers in Thursday's win over Georgia Southern, and fell just one shy of that with 11 against Georgia State, including five in the first quarter as the Trojans began to build a lead.
The Trojans then held Georgia State (9-14, 4-10) to 3-of-18 shooting in the second quarter, outscored the Panthers 15-6, and took a 41-27 lead into the break. The lead grew to as many as 20 points early in the third quarter, but Georgia State fought back and got within 10, 68-58, on the first basket of the fourth quarter.
That is when Beverly Kelley, the Sun Belt's leading scorer, took over. The senior hit two 3-pointers and converted a 3-point play, all in the first three minutes of the fourth, to thwart any Georgia State comeback. In all, Beverly Kelley scored 14 points in the fourth quarter on 4-of-5 shooting, 2-of-3 from deep and 4-of-5 from the line.
Beverly Kelley not only scored 20 points for the fourth straight game, but moved her career total to 1,784 and into 22nd place on the Sun Belt's all-time scoring list.
Beverly Kelley's three 3-pointers on the night were match by Amanda Mendoza who went 3-of-4, but topped by Saunders connected on 4-of-10 just two nights after hitting 6-of-8 against Georgia Southern. Saunders scored over 20 points for the third straight game.
Troy came into the game sixth in the NCAA in scoring at 82.4 points per game and upped the average. The Trojans came in fifth in the NCAA, forcing 23.0 turnovers per game, but saw that average. In fact, Georgia State with 14 turnovers was just the second opponent to have less than 16 against Troy this season.
Troy committed 21 turnovers itself, but rebounded well enough to mask those mistakes.
Troy shot 41 percent (28-of-69) and saw that percentage drop late as the Trojans didn't make a field goal over the final 5:12 of the game. However, Troy went to the free throw line eight times over that span, finishing the game 22-of-32 from the line. Troy finished 11-of-31 from deep.
Georgia State shot 41 percent (31-of-75) as well on the night, aided by an 18-of-36 (50 percent) showing in the second half. The Panthers were ice cold from deep, hitting just 12 percent (2-of-17).
Makeba Ponder, Georgia State's leading scorer and 3-point shooter, was just 3-of-16 from the floor and 2-of-10 from deep for eight points. Haley Gerrin led the way for Georgia State with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Madison Newby added 12 points and 14 assists for GSU.
Troy now faces a quick turnaround and a Tuesday road trip to take on in-state rival South Alabama. The Jaguars came from behind to beat Georgia Southern on Saturday and have won two straight and five of their last seven.
Ashley Beverly Kelley - Troy University Sports Hall of Fame
Monday, April 28
Underdogs Untold: Title Ticket Punched
Friday, April 04
Chanda Rigby WNIT Championship Press Conference
Friday, April 04
Chanda Rigby Postgame Press Conference - Illinois State
Thursday, April 03