Clutch Free Throws Push Women's Basketball to Victory at Samford

Tuesday, November 12

Birmingham, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

2-0,0-0Sun Belt

Samford

1-2,0-0SoCon

Troy

Samford

Clutch Free Throws Push Women's Basketball to Victory at Samford

11/12/2019 9:49:00 PM | Basketball (W)

Box Score

By: Troy Athletics Communications

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – It was a game that Troy played from behind for much of the contest, but relentless effort on the glass and clutch shooting late helped propel the Trojans to their second win of the season.

At the start of the contest Troy was in their element, playing fast and forcing turnovers using that tenacity to jump out to an early 5-0 lead. Troy and Samford played a tight first quarter before Samford took their first lead of the contest at the 5:11 mark thanks to a triple from Charity Brown who scored 16 points in the game.

Once Samford grabbed the lead, Troy struggled to take it back, only tying the score once at 24 early in the second quarter. After Samford scored to regain a two point lead the scoring stopped for just over five minutes as neither team was able to buy a bucket. Samford eventually ended the drought with a triple from Sarah Myers who lead the Bulldogs in scoring with 22-points. Shortly after Myers' triple, Tiyah Johnson nailed a three of her own and Troy went into the locker room trialing 29-31.

The third quarter continued to go back-and-forth as Troy refused to allow Samford to break the game open. The Trojans regained the lead early in the third for the first time since the second quarter when Johnson hit one of her four triples in the game. The two teams once again traded buckets before Samford eventually took a four-point lead. With Troy on their heels once again the defense stepped up, keeping the game close and the Trojans went into the final frame trailing by just two.

Midway through the fourth it began to look as though Samford was pulling away as they took a six-point lead, their largest of the game. With their backs against the wall Japonica James scored four straight for Troy followed by two more from Jasmine Robinson to tie the game at 61. The Trojans then took the lead for good on a James layup followed directly by a clutch triple from Johnson. With the lead in hand, Troy closed the door at the line, making eight consecutive free throws to close out the game and earning a 74-65 victory.

BANG!!!

TIYAH JOHNSON FOR 3 AND TROY LEADS BY 5

4Q
⚔- 66
🐶- 61#OneTROY⚔🏀 pic.twitter.com/zTVxPwLAbR
— Troy Trojans WBB (@TroyTrojansWBB) November 13, 2019

Records
Troy: 2-0
Samford: 1-2

Trojan Spotlight
Kayla Robinson led the Trojans in scoring Tuesday night with 21-points on 5-of-14 shooting. She set a new career-high in made free throws with nine. Robinson also added six rebounds and two steals.

Quoting Coach Rigby
On Troy's 15-2 run to close out the game
"We started denying the ball at full court where we had been playing behind them. We were denying the ball and that caused a little problem and I think their legs might have gotten a little tired because they started hitting the front of the rim on the shots that were all going in in the first half."

On all made free throws late
"If Japonica steps up and makes her free throws it's huge and tonight it really kept us in the game. Kayla Robinson came in and she's a senior and a veteran so she knows how to win basketball games and she just put her head down and kept drawing fouls and getting to the line."

Trojan Notables
• Kayla Robinson set a new career-high in made free throws with nine. Her previous high was eight back in 2017
• Troy made 30-of-42 free throws compared to just 6-of-15 for Samford
• Robinson led all Trojans with 21-points. Joining her with double-digit points was James (18), Johnson (12), Jasmine LeBlanc (11) and Jasmine Robinson (10)
• After make 14 free throws against Fort Valley State, James reached double-digits for the second game in a row with 10
• Harriet Winchester led the Trojans in rebounding with nine. LeBlanc added eight while Jasmine and James each had seven
• As a team Troy hauled in 66 boards
• Troy trialed Samford for 27 minutes while only holding the lead for 10 minutes

Up Next
Troy will be back inside Trojan Arena on Saturday when they host Jacksonville State at 2 p.m.

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