Trojan Tough: Career-Night from Waters Powers Troy to Victory Over North Alabama

Thursday, December 10

Florence, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

2-3,0-0Sun Belt

North Alabama

2-1,0-0ASUN

Troy

North Ala.

Trojan Tough: Career-Night from Waters Powers Troy to Victory Over North Alabama

12/10/2020 10:10:00 PM | Basketball (M)

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

FLORENCE, Ala. -- The Troy men's basketball team used a 6-0 run over the final 93 seconds to defeat the North Alabama Lions, 62-57, Thursday evening at Flowers Hall.

After a Jamari Blackmon triple erased a two-point Trojan (2-3) lead with 1:33 to play, Troy answered with a clutch layup from Duke Miles with 72 ticks to play. Miles scored a key four points in his first career start.

Needing a stop, Zay Williams' second block of the night was corralled by Miles and gave the Trojans possession of the basketball with 47 seconds to play.

On the ensuing Trojan possession, it again was Williams who stepped up for Troy, as the forward secured an offensive rebound and alertly pulled the basketball back out to midcourt with the shot clock turned off (20 seconds to play).

Needing to foul, North Alabama (2-1) fouled Miles with 14 seconds to go. After the freshman calmly sunk the first free throw, the Lions called a timeout to try and ice the Lee High School product. The strategy didn't work, as following the break, Miles swished the second free throw to give Troy a 60-57 advantage.

On the next UNA possession, the Trojans bowed up on the defensive end, forcing a contested 3-pointer from Blackmon with three seconds to play.

In perfect position, senior Khalyl Waters executed a textbook box-out attempt, drawing a loose-ball foul on Mervin James.

Waters showed his poise, walked the length of the floor and sunk both free throw attempts to seal the 62-57 victory. Waters closed the game with 20 points, six rebounds and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the charity stripe.

The Trojans started the evening quickly, using an 11-0 run from the 18:17 mark to the 14-minute mark to take an early 13-4 advantage.

After a pair of free throws from Payton Youngblood cut Troy's advantage to 13-6, Troy used back-to-back-to-back triples from Kieffer Punter and Kam Woods to take a 24-10 (11-4 run) lead with 10:21 to play.

North Alabama used a 12-2 outburst over the next four minutes to cut the Trojan advantage to just four (26-22) with six minutes to play in the period.

A Nick Stampley bucket gave Troy a 28-22 advantage with 5:30 to play allowing the Trojans to score 10 of the next 13 points to take a 38-25 lead at the break. All 10 of those Troy points were scored by Waters.

Coming out of the break, the Lions scored 13 of the next 19 points over the first eight minutes of the half to cut the 13-point Troy lead to just six (44-38) with 12:11 to play.

After the two teams split the next eight points, Troy used another mini 4-1 run to take a 52-43 lead with 6:03 to play.

Over the next four minutes, North Alabama chipped the nine-point Troy lead to just one with 2:20 to play.

A Christian Turner free throw gave Troy a 56-54 lead with 1:54 to play, but the Blackmon three gave the Lions their first lead since 4-2.

The aforementioned Miles' layup sparked the crucial 6-0 run the secured the Trojans' second close victory of the season.

Troy returns to action Sunday afternoon against the Central Baptist (Ark.) Mustangs. Tip-off from Trojan Arena for the home opener is set for 2 p.m.

HEAD COACH SCOTT CROSS:
"Khalyl played absolutely awesome. Tonight's win started with him because he gave us a huge lift in the first half. He was almost perfect from the field in the first half and made all of his free throws. He also was strong on the defensive end for us. He hit those two key free throws at the end. Duke was also awesome tonight. He hit those clutch free throws and made the layup after they took the lead. I'm really, really proud of our guys for overcoming the adversity tonight. We had a big second half lead and we allowed them to get in the bonus in the first four minutes, which allowed them to keep chipping away at our cushion. They eventually got the lead with less than two minutes to go, but we got two huge stops and hit clutch free throws. I'm very thankful to get this win."

On the ability for this year's team to close out two wins:
"Tonight's game proves that our guys are together, and they have some toughness and grit. Last year, I think we may have lost this game. To be as young as we are and fight through the adversity is a sign of good things to come for our basketball team."

SENIOR KHALYL WATERS:
"I think I responded to the challenge tonight and was aggressive off the dribble and knocked down some big, open shots like coach preaches. I'm looking forward to building off this performance to lead my team. Shout out to Duke Miles for his performance tonight. I'm so proud of him and the way he played. As a freshman to step up in his first start, him hitting that layup and the two free throws was big time. I'm really proud of him."

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
• After making just six combined 3-pointers in the last two games at Texas Tech and UAB, Troy made six total tonight.
• The Trojans improved to 2-0 when scoring at least 60 points.
• Troy is now a perfect 2-0 when hitting at least six triples.
• Waters scored 16 of his 20 points in the first half. The senior was 3-of-4 from the field, 2-of-2 from deep and hit all eight of his free throw attempts.
• Troy shot a season-best 14-of-18 from the line.
• Zay Williams added 13 points and 13 rebounds. The 13 rebounds are a new career-best.
• The forward has reached double-figures in three of Troy's five games so far. The Trojans are 2-1 in those contests.
• The Trojans outrebounded UNA 41-34.
• Stampley scored eight points and grabbed 10 boards for his third career double-digit rebound performance.
• Troy led for 37:01 tonight. After its early 4-2 lead, UNA led for just 21 seconds.