Troy University Athletics
Troy women’s basketball notebook – Tournament practice, history of success, and softball bringing reinforcements
3/13/2019 12:44:00 PM | Basketball (W)
TOURNAMENT BRACKET | CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
NEW ORLEANS – The Troy women's basketball team practiced for two hours on Wednesday morning as it prepared for its Sun Belt Conference Tournament quarterfinal game set for Thursday at 2 p.m. at Lakefront Arena.
The Trojans will not learn their opponent until the dust has settled between South Alabama and Texas State, which are set to play at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
"I think it was good, I think we're ready," Troy head coach Chanda Rigby said. "We had fewer turnovers, more rebounds and more energy. That's what you want this time of the year."
Troy held its practice at the Convocation Center on the campus of Xavier University of Louisiana about three miles from the team hotel. The venue is the same that the Trojans have used in each of the last two seasons. Troy hopes the building will bring some good karma as the Xavier's women's team is in Billings, Montana, this week for the NAIA Division I National Championship Tournament.
Been here before:Troy is seeking its third title in four years. While just four players remain – Kayla Robinson, Harriet Winchester, Amahni Upshaw and Amber Rivers – from the last tournament championship team, Rigby knows there is enough talent and leadership to win yet another title.
"It's a luxury," Rigby said. "But I don't want to overlook the fact that we have a couple of (junior college) national champions on our team. Shaterrika O'Neal won two national titles at Gulf Coast before she got here. Japonica James won a national title at Tallahassee a year ago this week before coming to Troy."
The Trojans are 7-1 in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament over the last three seasons with the team's only loss coming in a 66-63 affair to eventual champion Little Rock last year.
Troy's all-time tournament record against Sun Belt opponents:
Arkansas State: 2-2
Georgia State: 0-4*
Little Rock: 1-3
South Alabama: 3-1
Louisiana: 2-1
ULM: 1-1
UT Arlington: 1-0
*Atlantic Sun Tournament
Sending in the cavalry:Women's basketball is not the only team on a Louisiana road trip as Troy softball played at LSU on Wednesday. But, before heading to Lafayette to take on the Ragin' Cajuns over the weekend, the team will detour to NOLA to support the women's hoops squad on Thursday.
"It makes us proud to be Trojans," Rigby said. "This is what make Troy special, every coach and every team is for all the other teams. They are taking time out of their trip and their day to come support us and cheer us on. This is what we do, we support each other."
New tournament format: Prior to the season, the Sun Belt Conference announced changes to the conference tournament format. This season 10 teams qualified for the tournament with the No. 1 and No. seeds receiving byes directly to the semifinal round, while the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds advanced to the quarterfinals. This year marks the last for the event in Lakefront Arena.
Next season, both the men's and women's tournament will see 10 total teams selected for the tournament with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds receiving byes directly to the semifinal rounds at the Smoothie King Center. The No. 3 and No. 4 seeds will host quarterfinal games at home against winners of games from the first and second rounds. The quarterfinal winners will join the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in New Orleans for a "Final Four" experience.
"The idea behind it is to get our best teams in the tournament and I think that's fair," Rigby said. "In the Sun Belt, where we're trying to get more respect in the NCAA to get more bids from the committee, I think that's the right way to do it and I'm all for it."
For more information on Troy women's basketball, visit TroyTrojans.com or follow the team on Twitter at @TroyTrojansWBB
NEW ORLEANS – The Troy women's basketball team practiced for two hours on Wednesday morning as it prepared for its Sun Belt Conference Tournament quarterfinal game set for Thursday at 2 p.m. at Lakefront Arena.
The Trojans will not learn their opponent until the dust has settled between South Alabama and Texas State, which are set to play at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
"I think it was good, I think we're ready," Troy head coach Chanda Rigby said. "We had fewer turnovers, more rebounds and more energy. That's what you want this time of the year."
Troy held its practice at the Convocation Center on the campus of Xavier University of Louisiana about three miles from the team hotel. The venue is the same that the Trojans have used in each of the last two seasons. Troy hopes the building will bring some good karma as the Xavier's women's team is in Billings, Montana, this week for the NAIA Division I National Championship Tournament.
Been here before:Troy is seeking its third title in four years. While just four players remain – Kayla Robinson, Harriet Winchester, Amahni Upshaw and Amber Rivers – from the last tournament championship team, Rigby knows there is enough talent and leadership to win yet another title.
"It's a luxury," Rigby said. "But I don't want to overlook the fact that we have a couple of (junior college) national champions on our team. Shaterrika O'Neal won two national titles at Gulf Coast before she got here. Japonica James won a national title at Tallahassee a year ago this week before coming to Troy."
The Trojans are 7-1 in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament over the last three seasons with the team's only loss coming in a 66-63 affair to eventual champion Little Rock last year.
Troy's all-time tournament record against Sun Belt opponents:
Arkansas State: 2-2
Georgia State: 0-4*
Little Rock: 1-3
South Alabama: 3-1
Louisiana: 2-1
ULM: 1-1
UT Arlington: 1-0
*Atlantic Sun Tournament
Sending in the cavalry:Women's basketball is not the only team on a Louisiana road trip as Troy softball played at LSU on Wednesday. But, before heading to Lafayette to take on the Ragin' Cajuns over the weekend, the team will detour to NOLA to support the women's hoops squad on Thursday.
"It makes us proud to be Trojans," Rigby said. "This is what make Troy special, every coach and every team is for all the other teams. They are taking time out of their trip and their day to come support us and cheer us on. This is what we do, we support each other."
New tournament format: Prior to the season, the Sun Belt Conference announced changes to the conference tournament format. This season 10 teams qualified for the tournament with the No. 1 and No. seeds receiving byes directly to the semifinal round, while the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds advanced to the quarterfinals. This year marks the last for the event in Lakefront Arena.
Next season, both the men's and women's tournament will see 10 total teams selected for the tournament with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds receiving byes directly to the semifinal rounds at the Smoothie King Center. The No. 3 and No. 4 seeds will host quarterfinal games at home against winners of games from the first and second rounds. The quarterfinal winners will join the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in New Orleans for a "Final Four" experience.
"The idea behind it is to get our best teams in the tournament and I think that's fair," Rigby said. "In the Sun Belt, where we're trying to get more respect in the NCAA to get more bids from the committee, I think that's the right way to do it and I'm all for it."
For more information on Troy women's basketball, visit TroyTrojans.com or follow the team on Twitter at @TroyTrojansWBB
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