Troy Women’s Hoops Opens Conference Action with Win Over Coastal Carolina

Thursday, December 30

Troy, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

10-5,1-0Sun Belt

Coastal Carolina

10-2,0-1Sun Belt

Coastal Carolina

Troy

Troy Women’s Hoops Opens Conference Action with Win Over Coastal Carolina

12/30/2021 10:26:00 PM | Basketball (W)

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – With just eight available players in a fast-paced offense, the Troy Women's Basketball team downed Coastal Carolina, 91-80, Thursday night in Trojan Arena.

After trailing for more than 14 of the opening 20 minutes, a second-half comeback kept Troy's (10-5, 1-0 Sun Belt) now six-game win streak alive. The Trojans also extended their home win streak to 15 games, dating back to the 2020-21 season.

Led by 17 points from junior Amber Leggett, six of Troy's eight players finished the game in double figures.

Angie Juste-Jean paced Coastal Carolina (10-2, 0-1 Sun Belt) with a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds.

How It Happened
Both squads battled toe-to-toe through the opening four minutes of action with neither side gaining more than a two-point advantage. With 6:20 to play in the opening period, Coastal Carolina's Juste-Jean opened an 8-0 run with a triple that set up a 27-18 lead for the Chanticleers after the first 10 minutes.

The second quarter looked much like the first with the Chanticleers' lead expanding to as many as 10 after a made jumper from Arin Freeman with 8:30 to go. Leggett cut the Coastal Carolina lead to three with a jumper at the buzzer heading into the break.

However, the narrative flipped when Tiyah Johnson nailed a dagger from long distance to tie the matchup with 7:22 to play in the third. Over the next five minutes, a clutch six points from Leggett advanced Troy's lead to eight, 62-54. A period-ending layup from the Chanticleers' Deaja Richardson cut the lead to 67-61 heading into the final 10 minutes of action.

Troy's dominant second half continued into the fourth quarter as Johnson drained another triple to advance the Trojans lead to 14, 77-63, with 7:03 to play. Coastal Carolina tried to chip away at Troy's lead but could never get it lower than eight points. Za'Nautica Downs had the final say, knocking down a pair of free throws with seven seconds to play, to solidify Troy's first conference win.

Quotable – Head Coach Chanda Rigby
"It was a great win in Trojan Arena. We appreciate all of the fans and the Sound of the South for coming out. Anytime you are down a few players, people are going to have to shift positions and do things they have never been called on to do. We started the game a little out of sync, but we got going. We are a team that is never out of the game. We settled down, came back and took control of the game."

Notable

Alongside her 17 points, Amber Leggett pulled down 15 rebounds, good for her fifth double-double of the season.
For the second time this season, six Trojans finished the game in double figures: Leggett (17), Za'Nautica Downs (14), Tiyah Johnson (14), Felmas Koranga (12), Jasmine Robinson (11) and Jhileiya Dunlap (10).
After a slow start, the Trojans outscored Coastal Carolina in the second, third and fourth quarter by at least five points.
Troy's three-point streak continued with four triples from Johnson and one from Dunlap. The Trojans have now nailed a three pointer in 297 straight contests.