Hallmon, Leggett Pace Troy in Fourth Straight Win

Thursday, January 12

Troy, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

9-7,4-1Sun Belt

ULM

6-10,2-3Sun Belt

ULM

Troy

Hallmon, Leggett Pace Troy in Fourth Straight Win

1/12/2023 9:27:00 PM | Basketball (W)

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – Makayia Hallmon scored a game-high 21 points, and Amber Leggett recorded a double-double as Troy downed ULM, 92-74, Thursday night in Trojan Arena in Sun Belt Conference action.

The win was Troy's (9-7, 4-1) fourth straight overall and ninth in a row over ULM (6-10, 2-3) as the Trojans topped the 75-point mark for the ninth straight game. Troy has not just won four straight so much as it has dominated four straight games winning by an average margin of 18.3 points during the current run.

"We're very happy to come away with this win tonight in front of a great crowd of Troy students," head coach Chanda Rigby said. "In the second half we played a little bit better defense and didn't let them in the paint as much."

Hallmon, a Louisiana native, hit the 20-point plateau for the third time this season and is averaging 17.3 points during the Trojans' four-game winning streak after being held to just four points in Troy's Sun Belt opening loss.

Leggett, who returned to Troy's roster just eight days ago, hit on 5-of-9 shots from the floor as she scored a season-high 13 points to go along with a team-high 11 rebounds. Ja'Mia Hollings connected on 5-of-7 attempts to finish with 12 points and added six rebounds.

Troy shot 41.5 percent from the floor marking the second straight game over 40 percent for the Trojans and the fifth time this season; Troy is now 5-0 in those games. The victory keeps the Trojans on pace with league-leading James Madison, as Troy is just a game behind the Sun Belt newcomers with a matchup looming next Saturday.

The Trojans led by just one after the first quarter, 19-18, and seven at the half, 32-25, before blowing the game open with a 30-point effort in the third quarter. Troy hit on 55.6 percent of its shots in the quarter (10-of-18) and forced seven ULM turnovers which it converted into 15 points.

The Warhawks turned it over 23 times to Troy's high-pressure defense, which resulted in 32 Trojan points. Hallmon, Gabbi Cartagena and Jashanti Simmons each had a pair of steals for the, while Hallmon had a team-high four assists and Cartagena and Sharonica Hartsfield added three each.

Emma Merriweather pulled ULM within three, 42-39, with 7:42 to play in the third quarter which was the last signs of life from the visitors as the Trojans scored the game's next seven points before ending the third quarter on a 23-8 run. Merriweather, the reigning Sun Belt Player of the Week, posted a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds in addition to blocking five shots, while Amaya Ford led ULM with 17 points.

Up Next
Troy returns to Trojan Arena on Saturday for a showdown with Louisiana (9-8, 3-2), which is coming off a victory against South Alabama on Thursday.

Notable
• The Trojans have won 38 of their last 43 Sun Belt Conference games and 45 of their last 51 league games dating back to the 2019-20 season.
• Troy has 21-plus offensive rebounds in nine games this season, including in eight of its last 10 games. On the flip side, the Trojans have yielded 20 or more offensive rebounds in a game just three times, including tonight's game.
• Troy made eight 3-pointers in the SBC opener against Southern Miss; it was the fifth time this season the Trojans made six or more 3-points in a game; ironically enough, Troy is just 1-4 in those games. The Trojans are 8-3 on the year when making five or fewer 3-pointers in a game – Troy was 5-of-12 from 3-point range against ULM.
• Chanda Rigby is 54-7 in her last 61 games vs. Sun Belt teams.
• Troy is an impressive 39-7 inside the friendly confines of Trojan Arena over the last four seasons.
• The Trojans have made 10-plus free throws in 14-of-16 games this season and 15-plus free throws in eight different contests; Troy was 19-of-28 from the line against ULM.
• Troy has now scored 70-plus points in 14-of-16 games this season.
• Troy held ULM to 35 percent shooting from the floor, marking the fifth time in the last seven games that it has done so; the Trojans are 5-0 in those games. Troy has held its opponents to 29.3 percent shooting (140-of-478) in its last five victories.