Men’s Basketball Returns Home to Play SIUE on Friday Night

Friday, December 1

Troy, Ala.

7:30 p.m.

Troy University

SIU-Edwardsville

Men’s Basketball Returns Home to Play SIUE on Friday Night

11/30/2023 12:12:00 PM | Basketball (M)

Troy Notes (PDF)ESPN+Listen Live Live Stats

TROY, Ala. – After a tough road loss on Monday night against Eastern Kentucky, the Troy men's basketball gets back in action against SIUE on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Trojan Arena.

The game – originally scheduled for 6 p.m. – was moved to 7:30 p.m. Fans attending the game are encouraged to park in the lot directly behind the Hawkins Press Box Tower of Veteran's Memorial Stadium. The lot directly next to Trojan Arena will be closed for RV parking for the football game.

Troy fell 77-76 to EKU in Richmond, Ky., on Monday night. Christyon Eugene had another impressive outing despite the loss. He had his second straight 23-point performance and his seventh straight game in double-figure scoring.

Game Information
Location: Troy, Ala. – Trojan Arena
The Matchup: SIUE (5-3, 0-0 OVC) vs. Troy (3-4, 0-0 SBC)
When: Friday, Dec. 1 – 7:30 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
Game Promotion: $6 loaded fries

On the Brink
Going into Monday's game, Troy already had two losses decided in the final seconds of the game and by two points or less and Monday was no different.

After a slow start in the first half that saw the Trojans go into the break down by six, Troy rallied back in the second half but couldn't quite catch up to EKU and lost by one after Eugene hit a left-wing three-pointer at the buzzer while down by four.

Troy had its best performance from beyond the arc against the Colonels, shooting 13-28 from deep. The Trojans also shot 13-18 from the charity stripe. However, Troy was cold from the rest of the field. They shot a season-low 36.2 percent from the field.

Eugene had a game-high 23 points, and Tayton Conerway added 12.

Dominating the Glass
One area where the Trojans have dominated in just about every game this season is the rebounding battle.

Troy enters Monday's game fifth in the country – and top in the Sun Belt – in offensive rebounds with 16.29. Troy had 21 offensive rebounds on Monday, the most since they had 23 vs. Toccoa Falls in 2016.

Troy is 14^th nationally in total rebounds per game at 44.14 – which is also first in the Sun Belt.

Freshman Thomas Dowd is leading the Trojans with 6.4 rebounds and Eugene is second with 5.3.

Scouting SIUE
The Cougars enter Friday's game riding a two-game winning streak. In their last time out, they defeated Missouri Baptist at home 86-62. In six of eight games this season, SIUE has held opponents to under 70 points.

SIUE has been good from long-range and leads the Ohio Valley Conference in three-point percentage at 39.7 percent.

Shamar Wright is leading the way offensively for SIUE with 16.6 points per game with an impressive shooting line of .444/.393/.805. SIUE was picked to finish second in the OVC preseason poll.

Early Season Notables
• Christyon Eugene started the year 0-10 from 3-point range but is 11-19 in the last four games.
• The Troy defense continues to keep the Trojans in games this season, holding opponents to 40 percent from the field, which is good for third in the Sun Belt. Troy is forcing 16.1 turnovers per game, the best mark in the Sun Belt and 25th best in the Country.
• Troy is fourth nationally in bench points per game at 37.57. Tayton Conerway has been the first person off the bench this season and is averaging 11.7 points.
• Troy is averaging 17.86 fastbreak points per game, which comes in best in the SBC and 13th in the country. Against EKU on Monday, Troy had 13 fastbreak points.
• Both Troy (Marcus Rigsby Jr. and Myles Rigsby) and SIUE (Shamar Wright and Lamar Wright) have a set of brothers on the team and makeup two of the 25 sets of brothers playing at the same Division-I school.