Troy Dominates Ole Miss; First Win over SEC Opponent in 21 Years

Wednesday, December 19

Oxford, Miss.

6 p.m.

Troy University

8-2

Ole Miss

5-8

Troy

Ole Miss

Photo by: Thomas Graning

Troy Dominates Ole Miss; First Win over SEC Opponent in 21 Years

12/19/2018 9:23:00 PM | Basketball (W)

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

OXFORD, Mississippi – For the second time in three seasons, Troy women's basketball knocked off a major conference foe as the Trojans dominated Ole Miss, 71-54, at The Pavilion on Wednesday.

Troy (8-2) led by as many 19 and held the lead for 36:54 earning its first win over an SEC opponent in 21 seasons. The win also marks the program's best start in Division I history (1993); Troy last started 8-2 or better in 1991-92.

Kayla Robinson was 3-for-5 from 3-point range and led the Trojans with 16 points and was one of four Troy players in double figures; the junior is averaging 12.0 points and 8.8 rebounds over the last four games. Amber Rivers had 13 points and eight boards, while Harriet Winchester and Japonica James added 11 and 10 points, respectively.

In 1997 under head coach Jerry Hester, Troy defeated Mississippi State in Sartain Hall. Since that time, the program's lone win over a major conference foe was a 93-85 victory over Villanova of the Big East on Nov. 24, 2016.

The Trojans dominated the glass outrebounding the Rebels (5-8) 53-31 including 28 offensive boards; Troy entered the game leading the nation averaging 51.1 rebounds and 23 offensive rebounds per game. The effort on the boards led to 24 second chance points for the Trojans.

UT Arlington transfer Crystal Allen led all scorers with 20 points, but was slowed after scoring 10 in the opening quarter.

With Ole Miss trying to slow the pace of the game in the second quarter, Troy broke out of a 1-for-14 slump with an 11-0 run to pull ahead 35-25 before Allen hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the half.

The Trojans forced five turnovers in the first five minutes of the second half and Rivers knocked down three consecutive jumpers to extend Troy's lead to 16 points, 49-33.

After the Rebels closed the deficit to eight, the Trojans put the pedal down closing out the fourth quarter shooting 9-of-16 (58.6 percent).

UP NEXT
Troy will have nine days before its next game. The Trojans travel to take on Jacksonville State on Nov. 29.

NOTEWORTHY
• Troy has posted 50-plus rebounds in five consecutive games.
• After Ole Miss took the initial lead, 2-0, Troy went on a 14-3 run. The Rebels led for just 42 seconds in the game.

• Sky'Lynn Holmes led all players with 10 rebounds.

• Troy has forced 19 or more turnovers in nine of 10 games this season.

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