Troy University Athletics
Saturday, December 14
Troy, Ala.
4:30 p.m.
Troy University
vs
Middle Georgia State
Men’s Basketball Welcomes Middle Georgia State to Trojan Arena
12/13/2024 11:10:00 AM | Basketball (M)
TROY, Ala. – The Troy men's basketball team is back in Trojan Arena as it welcomes Middle Georgia State to the Wiregrass for a Saturday afternoon showdown. Tipoff is slated for 4:30, and will follow the Troy women's basketball game against Memphis that will get underway at 2 p.m.
Troy (5-4) is looking to get back into the win column after falling on the road to Houston, 62-42, on Tuesday night. For Middle Georgia State (7-3), Saturday's game will be an exhibition as it is not part of the NCAA.
Game Information
The Matchup: Middle Georgia State vs Troy
When: Saturday, December 14, 2024
Where: Troy, Ala. | Trojan Arena (5,200)
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Media Network
Live Stats: Troystats.com
Troy played strong defense on Tuesday night but couldn't generate enough offense to take down No. 15 Houston on the road. The Trojans held the Cougars to 43.1 percent shooting but shot just 24 percent. Despite the poor offensive performance in the Lone Star State, Troy had shot 45.8 percent or better in the previous four games, three of which saw it shoot better than 51 percent.
Thomas Dowd led the Trojans with 10 points on Tuesday, for his second double figure scoring performance of the season. Tayton Conerway had nine points and tied his career-high in rebounds with eight.
Despite the loss Troy still forced Houston into 10 turnovers, was minus-two in rebounding and won the free-throw battle.
On Saturday, Troy will look to get Myles Rigsby back into his offensive rhythm after he scored just three points the last time out. He leads the team in scoring this season with 12.8 points. Tuesday was the first time this season that Rigsby did not score 10 or more points.
Home Sweet Home
The Trojans are 3-1 in the friendly confines of Trojan Arena this season. Over the last two years, Troy is 18-3 at Trojan Arena. Under head coach Scott Cross, Troy is 52-22 when playing on its own hardwood.
Troy is outscoring opponents by an average of 7.5 points per game this season. In its three wins, Troy has shot no worse than 52.2 percent and shot 58 percent the last time it played in front of Trojan fans.
Scouting Middle Georgia State
The Knights are 7-3 this season and are coming off a loss to Life University on Dec. 4. Three players are scoring in double-figures this season for Middle Georgia State, and leading the way is Trashawn Wilson at 15.1 points. Milique Smith is averaging 12.3 points and a team-high 8.6 rebounds.
Notables
• Scott Cross is in his sixth season at the helm for Troy men's basketball, and his 18th as a Division I men's basketball head coach. While at Troy he has put together an 85-80 record, which includes three straight seasons of 20 or more wins. In each of those three seasons, he has also led the Trojans to 10 or more conference wins.
• The Trojans are coming off a 62-42 road loss to No. 15 Houston on Tuesday night at the Fertitta Center. Troy struggled from the field, shooting just 27 percent. Thomas Dowd led the team with 10 points, while Tayton Conerway had nine points and eight rebounds.
• Troy played three home games the week of Thanksgiving, which included two as part of the Trojan Turkey Tipoff. The Trojans went 1-1 in their MTE, which included a win over UTSA and a loss to Merrimack. Troy closed out the holiday week with a Sunday afternoon game against Eastern Kentucky, defeating the Colonels 84-74.
• Myles Rigsby had a season-high 20 points in Troy's win over EKU on an extremely efficient 8-11 shooting line, which included 2-2 from distance and 2-2 from the free throw line. Rigsby is leading the team in scoring with 12.8 points and has scored in double figures in all but one game this season (Houston).
• The Trojans have forced their opponents into committing double-digit turnovers in every game this season. Troy is 3-1 when its opponents have 16 or more turnovers. Through eight games, Troy is 90th nationally in turnovers forced per game (14.22), a mark that is third in the Sun Belt. Troy leads the conference and is 32nd nationally in steals per game with 9.6.
• The Trojans are 3-1 at home this season. Troy opened the year with a win over Toledo in Trojan Arena and also has wins against UTSA and Eastern Kentucky.
• Scott Cross has started all nine games this season with the same starting lineup (Rigsby Jr., Conerway, Rigsby, Dowd and Fields).
• In the era of the transfer portal, the Trojans did not a lose a single player from its 2023-24 squad to another Division I men's basketball team. The only non-freshman addition to this year's team is JUCO transfer Cobi Campbell, who is out indefinitely with an injury.
Troy (5-4) is looking to get back into the win column after falling on the road to Houston, 62-42, on Tuesday night. For Middle Georgia State (7-3), Saturday's game will be an exhibition as it is not part of the NCAA.
Game Information
The Matchup: Middle Georgia State vs Troy
When: Saturday, December 14, 2024
Where: Troy, Ala. | Trojan Arena (5,200)
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Media Network
Live Stats: Troystats.com
Troy played strong defense on Tuesday night but couldn't generate enough offense to take down No. 15 Houston on the road. The Trojans held the Cougars to 43.1 percent shooting but shot just 24 percent. Despite the poor offensive performance in the Lone Star State, Troy had shot 45.8 percent or better in the previous four games, three of which saw it shoot better than 51 percent.
Thomas Dowd led the Trojans with 10 points on Tuesday, for his second double figure scoring performance of the season. Tayton Conerway had nine points and tied his career-high in rebounds with eight.
Despite the loss Troy still forced Houston into 10 turnovers, was minus-two in rebounding and won the free-throw battle.
On Saturday, Troy will look to get Myles Rigsby back into his offensive rhythm after he scored just three points the last time out. He leads the team in scoring this season with 12.8 points. Tuesday was the first time this season that Rigsby did not score 10 or more points.
Home Sweet Home
The Trojans are 3-1 in the friendly confines of Trojan Arena this season. Over the last two years, Troy is 18-3 at Trojan Arena. Under head coach Scott Cross, Troy is 52-22 when playing on its own hardwood.
Troy is outscoring opponents by an average of 7.5 points per game this season. In its three wins, Troy has shot no worse than 52.2 percent and shot 58 percent the last time it played in front of Trojan fans.
Scouting Middle Georgia State
The Knights are 7-3 this season and are coming off a loss to Life University on Dec. 4. Three players are scoring in double-figures this season for Middle Georgia State, and leading the way is Trashawn Wilson at 15.1 points. Milique Smith is averaging 12.3 points and a team-high 8.6 rebounds.
Notables
• Scott Cross is in his sixth season at the helm for Troy men's basketball, and his 18th as a Division I men's basketball head coach. While at Troy he has put together an 85-80 record, which includes three straight seasons of 20 or more wins. In each of those three seasons, he has also led the Trojans to 10 or more conference wins.
• The Trojans are coming off a 62-42 road loss to No. 15 Houston on Tuesday night at the Fertitta Center. Troy struggled from the field, shooting just 27 percent. Thomas Dowd led the team with 10 points, while Tayton Conerway had nine points and eight rebounds.
• Troy played three home games the week of Thanksgiving, which included two as part of the Trojan Turkey Tipoff. The Trojans went 1-1 in their MTE, which included a win over UTSA and a loss to Merrimack. Troy closed out the holiday week with a Sunday afternoon game against Eastern Kentucky, defeating the Colonels 84-74.
• Myles Rigsby had a season-high 20 points in Troy's win over EKU on an extremely efficient 8-11 shooting line, which included 2-2 from distance and 2-2 from the free throw line. Rigsby is leading the team in scoring with 12.8 points and has scored in double figures in all but one game this season (Houston).
• The Trojans have forced their opponents into committing double-digit turnovers in every game this season. Troy is 3-1 when its opponents have 16 or more turnovers. Through eight games, Troy is 90th nationally in turnovers forced per game (14.22), a mark that is third in the Sun Belt. Troy leads the conference and is 32nd nationally in steals per game with 9.6.
• The Trojans are 3-1 at home this season. Troy opened the year with a win over Toledo in Trojan Arena and also has wins against UTSA and Eastern Kentucky.
• Scott Cross has started all nine games this season with the same starting lineup (Rigsby Jr., Conerway, Rigsby, Dowd and Fields).
• In the era of the transfer portal, the Trojans did not a lose a single player from its 2023-24 squad to another Division I men's basketball team. The only non-freshman addition to this year's team is JUCO transfer Cobi Campbell, who is out indefinitely with an injury.
Players Mentioned
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