Zay Williams / Nelson Phillips Combine for 49 to Tame the Ragin' Cajuns

Saturday, February 11

Troy, Ala.

4 p.m.

Troy University

16-11,8-6Sun Belt

Louisiana

20-6,10-4Sun Belt

Louisiana

Troy

Zay Williams / Nelson Phillips Combine for 49 to Tame the Ragin' Cajuns

2/11/2023 7:50:00 PM | Basketball (M)

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – Two 20-point performances from Zay Williams and Nelson Phillips push Troy over Louisiana 80-65 on Saturday night in Trojan Arena. The win guarantees Troy's first back-to-back winning seasons since 2008-09 and 2009-10 and ends an eight-game losing streak to the Cajuns.

The Trojans (16-11, 8-6 SBC) grabbed their third straight win for the 10^th home win of the season to remain one game back from a bye in the first two rounds of the Sun Belt Tournament. After winning 10 straight, the Ragin' Cajuns (20-6, 10-4 SBC) fall for the second consecutive game to drop two games out of first place.

In his 131^st game (most in program history), Williams grabbed his first double-double of the season with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Phillips couldn't miss from deep, going 5-of-7 for a season-high 23 points. The senior added six steals, seven rebounds and four assists to his stats.

Three-time Sun Belt Player of the Week, Jordan Brown, was held to eight points on five shot attempts as ULL looked to Greg Williams Jr. for points – third time in 2022-23 Brown was held to single digits. Williams Jr. scored 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting to lead the Cajuns.

Dynamic Duo
Both sides stayed within five through the opening 28 minutes as the game was tied, 46-46 with 12:22 after Joe Charles converted two shots at the charity stripe.

After Troy turned the ball over with a shot clock violation, Jalen Dalcourt missed the three, only for Isaiah Richards to grab the offensive rebound and dish it to Williams Jr. From there, Williams Jr. found Charles in the paint to grab Louisiana's final lead of the game, 48-46 – 11:22 remaining.

Christian Turner retaliated down low with 10:57 on the clock. Aamer Muhammad went up and dished it in the air to Turner. Turner took one dribble and slammed it to tie the ballgame, 48-48.

Fast forward to the 10:28 mark, Muhammad took the ball himself into the paint, drawing the foul as he converted the bucket to take the lead, 52-50.

As Muhammad's missed free throw clanged off the backboard, Phillips drove inside, caught the ball and drew the shooting foul. The senior converted both to extend the lead, 54-50, with 9:30 left.

Phillips kept the momentum going, scoring another eight straight points off two made threes and a layup. First, the guard used the euro step move to convert inside. Then, he followed it with a make from behind the arc with 7:51 left off an assist from Muhammad, 59-52.

Following a media timeout, Brown held the ball and tried to find a fellow Cajun. Phillips was there to intercept the pass and see McNeill. McNeill gave it back to Phillips at the 12:43 mark, wide open at the top of the arc, 62-52.

The remaining seven minutes saw Williams take over for Phillips, scoring 10 points to keep Troy's double-figure lead above Louisiana until the buzzer sounded to end an eight-game losing streak to ULL, 80-65.

Head Coach Scott Cross
"Without a doubt, I mean at halftime, we showed the guys on video some of the defensive clips because I've been preaching to them, we need ball pressure when we do that, we're elite. Against South Alabama in the second half, we were really heating up the ball; it changed the game. And finally, in the second half, the first possession or two, we started heating up the ball, we turn them over, boom, we're right back in the game, and then it just snowballed from there. The defense was phenomenal, and our 2-2-1 back to our matchup zone was really good. You know, I thought Darius McNeill just gave us a huge lift with his ball pressure. I think he may have been; you know, his stat sheet may not look like it, but the way he affected the game and the way he changed the game, he may have been my player of the game. I mean, it's hard to pass up Williams and Phillips with the games they just had with the stat sheet, but Darius was probably just as valuable with the way that he heated up the ball tonight."

Homestand Numbers
• Williams officially played in his 131^st career game at Troy while making his 89^th start, ranking him first in games played in Troy program history – passed Jordan Varnado.
• Williams took over in the ballgame, scoring the most points by a Trojan this season with 26. The previous high was Muhammad, with 23 against Florida State.
• Phillips ended the night with six steals for the most by a Trojan since his NCAA record-tying 13 against SUNO earlier this season.
• Troy had two 20-point scorers in Williams and Phillips for the second time in 2022-23 – Muhammad and Eugene had 20 against FSU.
• For the second straight game, Troy completed the comeback after being down after the first half, improving its record to 3-5 in SBC play, and 4-7 overall.

Back on the Road
Troy hits the road for the first time since Jan. 28 as the team takes their talents to the First National Bank Arena to face Arkansas State on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.