Troy Women Win Sixth Straight

Saturday, January 14

Troy, Ala.

2 PM

Troy University

12-4, 5-0

UT Arlington

11-4, 4-1

UT Arlington

Troy

Photo by: Chris Davis

1/14/2017 5:14:00 PM | Basketball (W)

Box Score Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Wes Johnson

TROY, Alabama – In a game between Sun Belt Conference unbeatens, the Troy women's basketball team pummeled UT Arlington, 85-68, at Trojan Arena on Saturday for its sixth consecutive win; it is also the first time in program history that the team has started conference play 5-0.

Troy (12-4, 5-0 Sun Belt) corralled Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year Rebekah VanDijk the entire game holding the junior to just one field goal and eight free throws, well below her season average of 17.5 points per game. Caitlyn Ramirez was hot from the outset knocking down three of the Trojans' first five shots. Troy went on a pair of impactful runs in the first quarter including a 14-3 spurt to end the frame.

UT Arlington (11-4, 4-1) managed to shoot just 31.5 percent, while Troy converted 50.8 percent (32-63) of its shots. The Mavericks missed on 23 of 30 (23.3%) 3-point attempts in the game.

Ramirez and Amanda Mendoza each finished with a game-high 17 points. Ramirez had nine rebounds and three steals while Mendoza, who was also 4-for-5 from 3-point range collected a career-high six boards. Claresa Banks chipped in with 13 points and Jayla Chills added six assists with eight points.

QUOTABLE
"We are very excited and pleased to get this win," Troy head coach Chanda Rigby said. "The way we got the win was incredible. We had some players that wanted this game so badly that I was afraid we'd come out with too much emotion, but that didn't happen."

UP NEXT
Troy travels to face Little Rock on Jan. 19 and Arkansas State on Jan. 21.

NOTEABLE
• The Trojans have not lost a game against Sun Belt Conference opponent since Feb. 16, 2016, a stretch of 13 consecutive wins.

• UT Arlington entered the game No. 49 in RPI.

• Troy held a 28-point lead with 3:15 remaining in the third quarter.

• The Trojans have not trailed in the last 110:43 of action (first quarter at Georgia Southern).

• The Trojans eclipsed the 80-point plateau for the 67^th time under Chanda Rigby.

• Caitlyn Ramirez is averaging 13.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 steals over the last six games.

For more information on Troy women's basketball, visit TroyTrojans.com or follow the team on Twitter at @TroyTrojansWBB.

The 2017 Sun Belt Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships are scheduled for a week of March Madness in the Big Easy. New Orleans will once again be home to the two championships that will take place at Lakefront Arena from March 7-12. For more information, visit the Sun Belt Conference's championship central websites - Men's Championship – Women's Championship – and be sure to follow the @FunBelt on social media - @SunBelt.