Troy University Athletics
Wednesday, November 8
Athens, Ohio
6 p.m.
Troy University
at
Ohio
Troy Men’s Basketball Heads to Ohio for MAC-SBC Challenge
11/7/2023 8:53:00 AM | Basketball (M)
TROY, Ala. — After opening the 2023-24 season with a win at home on Monday, the Troy men's basketball team embarks on its first road trip of the season as they head to Athens, Ohio, for a matchup with Ohio in the MAC-SBC Challenge. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m. CT and can be watched on ESPN+.
The Trojans opened their season against Fort Lauderdale on Monday, defeating the Eagles 92-47 to move into the win column to open Scott Cross's fifth year as the Troy head coach.
Wednesday will be the first meeting between the Trojans and Bobcats.
Game Information
Location: Athens, Ohio — Convocation Center
The Matchup: Troy (1-0, 0-0 SBC) vs. Ohio (0-0, 0-0 MAC)
When: Wednesday, Nov. 8 – 6 p.m. CT
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
A Dominating Win
Troy's 45-point win on Monday was fueled by a smothering defense and a second-half eruption from the offense.
The Trojan defense came ready to play, as they held Fort Lauderdale to 1-11 from beyond the arc and just 31.4 percent from the field.
After getting off to a slow start shooting the ball in the first half (34.3 percent), the Trojan offense erupted in the final 20 minutes, going 22-38 (57.9 percent) from the field for 54 points. They were led by newcomer Tayton Conerway, who had 15 points off the bench.
For the first time since Nov. 11, 2022 – at Montana – the Trojan offense had five players score in double figures (Conerway 15, Christyon Eugene 11, Myles Rigsby 11, Thomas Dowd 11 and Randarius Jones 10). Four of those five players – excluding Eugene – are newcomers to the Trojans this season.
Troy's depth was also on full display, as 50 of the 92 points came from the bench – including Conerway's team-high 15 points.
Scouting Ohio
Ohio is coming off a strong 2022-23 season, in which the Bobcats finished 19-14 (10-8 MAC) and made a run to the semifinals of the MAC Tournament before falling to top-seeded Toledo.
The Bobcat's top returner from the 2022-23 campaign is junior guard Jaylin Hunter, who averaged 13.2 points per game while shooting 44 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from 3-point range. Hunter was selected to the Preseason All-MAC First Team.
AJ Brown was selected to the Preseason All-Mac Second Team. In 2022-23, Brown averaged 10.3 points in 26 games (eight starts). He shot 42.6 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc. In the MAC Preseason Coaches Poll, Ohio was picked to finish third and received one first-place vote.
Ohio is coming off a 67-49 exhibition win over Otterbein last Thursday.
Game One Notes
• Troy has now won its season opener in four consecutive seasons, including the last three at Trojan Arena.
• Troy held Fort Lauderdale to 18 points in the first 20 minutes, which is the first time they have allowed less than 20 points in the first half of a game since Dec. 1, 2021 (vs. Rust College).
• For the first time since Nov. 10, 2022 (vs. MUW), Troy held an opponent to 50 points or less.
• Troy moves to 19-3 under head coach Scott Cross when it scores more than 80 points in a game and 8-0 when scoring 90 or more points in a game.
• The Trojan's largest scoring run came in the second half when they outscored the Eagles 14-0 over a period of nearly five minutes.
• Troy led for 37:32 of the game and trailed for just 1:56.
The Trojans opened their season against Fort Lauderdale on Monday, defeating the Eagles 92-47 to move into the win column to open Scott Cross's fifth year as the Troy head coach.
Wednesday will be the first meeting between the Trojans and Bobcats.
Game Information
Location: Athens, Ohio — Convocation Center
The Matchup: Troy (1-0, 0-0 SBC) vs. Ohio (0-0, 0-0 MAC)
When: Wednesday, Nov. 8 – 6 p.m. CT
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
A Dominating Win
Troy's 45-point win on Monday was fueled by a smothering defense and a second-half eruption from the offense.
The Trojan defense came ready to play, as they held Fort Lauderdale to 1-11 from beyond the arc and just 31.4 percent from the field.
After getting off to a slow start shooting the ball in the first half (34.3 percent), the Trojan offense erupted in the final 20 minutes, going 22-38 (57.9 percent) from the field for 54 points. They were led by newcomer Tayton Conerway, who had 15 points off the bench.
For the first time since Nov. 11, 2022 – at Montana – the Trojan offense had five players score in double figures (Conerway 15, Christyon Eugene 11, Myles Rigsby 11, Thomas Dowd 11 and Randarius Jones 10). Four of those five players – excluding Eugene – are newcomers to the Trojans this season.
Troy's depth was also on full display, as 50 of the 92 points came from the bench – including Conerway's team-high 15 points.
Scouting Ohio
Ohio is coming off a strong 2022-23 season, in which the Bobcats finished 19-14 (10-8 MAC) and made a run to the semifinals of the MAC Tournament before falling to top-seeded Toledo.
The Bobcat's top returner from the 2022-23 campaign is junior guard Jaylin Hunter, who averaged 13.2 points per game while shooting 44 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from 3-point range. Hunter was selected to the Preseason All-MAC First Team.
AJ Brown was selected to the Preseason All-Mac Second Team. In 2022-23, Brown averaged 10.3 points in 26 games (eight starts). He shot 42.6 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc. In the MAC Preseason Coaches Poll, Ohio was picked to finish third and received one first-place vote.
Ohio is coming off a 67-49 exhibition win over Otterbein last Thursday.
Game One Notes
• Troy has now won its season opener in four consecutive seasons, including the last three at Trojan Arena.
• Troy held Fort Lauderdale to 18 points in the first 20 minutes, which is the first time they have allowed less than 20 points in the first half of a game since Dec. 1, 2021 (vs. Rust College).
• For the first time since Nov. 10, 2022 (vs. MUW), Troy held an opponent to 50 points or less.
• Troy moves to 19-3 under head coach Scott Cross when it scores more than 80 points in a game and 8-0 when scoring 90 or more points in a game.
• The Trojan's largest scoring run came in the second half when they outscored the Eagles 14-0 over a period of nearly five minutes.
• Troy led for 37:32 of the game and trailed for just 1:56.
Players Mentioned
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