Troy University Athletics
Wednesday, December 18
Cherokee, N.C.
6 p.m.
Troy University
5-6,0-0Sun Belt
62
vs
70
Toledo
6-2,0-0MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Toledo
21
8
16
25
70
Troy
12
20
18
12
62
Troy Falters Late to Toledo in Cherokee Tournament, Plays Arkansas Tomorrow at 6 p.m.
12/18/2024 9:38:00 PM | Basketball (W)
CHEROKEE, N.C. – At the 6:33 mark of the third, Troy held an 11-point lead, 50-39, but couldn't hold off a late rally from Toledo to falter in the first round of the Cherokee Tournament, 70-62, on Wednesday night. Troy will play Arkansas for bronze tomorrow at 6 p.m. in the Cherokee Resort & Convention Center.
Despite outscoring the Rockets (6-2) in points in the paint (28-22), off turnovers (15-11), second-chance (15-14) and fastbreak (18-12), the Trojans (5-6) couldn't overcome 18 free throws made by the opposition and a 50-38 loss in the rebound column.
Sun Belt Player of the Week and NCAA Starting Five member Shaulana Wagner led the Trojans in scoring with 17 points on 7-of-18 from the field and 2-of-3 from deep. She also had six rebounds and tied for a team-high four assists with Khila Morris. Ashley Baez matched her career-high set against Memphis with 16 points and seized a career-high six rebounds. The Trojans flipped the script in the second quarter when it shot 38.9 percent from the field while holding Toledo to 3-of-12 (25 percent).
Sammi Mikonowicz led Toledo in scoring with 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds – she shot a perfect 5-of-5 from the charity stripe. Khera Goss followed close behind with 11 points and eight rebounds, shooting 4-of-8 from the field. All but one Rocket secured a rebound to be just the second team to outrebound the Trojans – the only other team was No. 7 LSU.
Faltered Late
The first 6:33 saw Troy continue its momentum from the second quarter by outscoring Toledo 21-7 in the third to hold a 50-39 lead on a layup from Morris. The onslaught included an 11-0 run that included buckets from Wagner (5), Baez (2) and Morris (4). However, Toledo recovered to trim the margin five, 50-45, entering the fourth on a 5-0 run.
Toledo kept the pressure on in the first 3:44 of the fourth as it took the lead, 54-52, on a jumper from Nan Garcia when she took the pass from Kendall Carruthers to cap off a 9-2 run. Emma Imevbore stopped the run herself with a steal, followed by a bucket inside to tie the game, 54-54, with 5:37 remaining.
Leilani Guion tied the game again, 57-57, following an and-one for Cadence Dykstra on her second triple with 4:24 on the clock. But Toledo couldn't be denied as it went on a 9-0 run, capped off by a layup from Hannah Noveroske to hold a 66-57 lead with under a minute to go. In the 3:23 span, Troy shot 0-of-2 and had two turnovers, while Toledo shot 2-of-2 from the field and 4-of-4 at the line.
With 0:54 remaining, Wagner kept Troy within reach when Baez found her behind the arc, and she hit, 66-60, for her second triple of the game and third of 2024-25. But Zay Dyer was the only Trojan to convert in the final 0:54 as Toledo went 4-of-6 at the line to finish the 70-62 comeback and push Troy into the consolation bracket.
Second Quarter Comeback
The Trojans entered the second quarter down nine, 21-12, until Wagner erupted with back-to-back buckets in the first 1:12 to cut the margin to five, 21-16. Her first came off a turnover by Toledo to open the second, followed by Dyer grabbing the offensive board and finding No. 13 for the finish.
Toledo struck inside via Noveroske before Guion found her stroke from deep with 7:43 remaining, 23-19, as she drilled her sixth 3-pointer in the last three games. Baez continued the comeback from the free throw line when Wagner swiped the ball and found Baez, who forced the shooting foul at the 2:26 mark – she converted both for a 23-21 score.
Noveroske hit one at the charity stripe with 6:48 remaining, 24-21, before a 2:10 scoreless drought on both sides was ended by Baez. Wagner grabbed the Toledo miss and dished it to the Dominican Republic native for the lay-in, 24-23. Toledo found itself back up four, 27-24, with 4:18 left after Ella Weaver hit from deep and Jamirica Roberson converted one at the line.
Troy ended the half outscoring Toledo 8-2, starting when Briana Peguero got the pass from Morris and connected from deep to tie the game at 27 – 3:19 on the clock. Wagner gave Troy the lead inside, 29-27, before Garcia retied the game at 29 at the 7:52 mark. The senior guard hit one more at the stripe, and Morris ended the half for Troy with a layup inside to walk into the locker room with a 32-29 lead.
Head Coach Chanda Rigby
"We're very disappointed that we didn't come out with the win tonight. We wanted to be in that winner's bracket tomorrow. So, now we play the loser of Arkansas/Liberty. A lot of factors went into the loss. I don't think we gave our best effort at the beginning of the game. But that second quarter, everyone laid their bodies on the line to comeback. For some reason, we didn't do that in the first quarter, and that gave them a mental edge at the end of the game. I can't fully explain how they outrebounded us besides effort. I'm still proud of my team for many reasons. We need to mend our broken hearts and finish nonconference play strong tomorrow."
Next Round
The Trojans face Arkansas tomorrow at 6 p.m. at the Cherokee Resort & Convention Center to decide who claims bronze.
Semifinal Numbers
• For the 10th game of the season, Baez finished in double-figures as she led Troy in scoring with 16 points on 6-of-12 from the field and two triples.
• Troy led in points in the paint (28-22), off turnovers (15-11), second-chance (15-14) and fastbreak (18-12) despite the loss.
• Wagner converted two triples in the ballgame, going 2-of-3 from deep. Her two makes doubled her numbers on the season as she entered 1-of-20 from behind the arc.
• The Trojans were elite from deep with their second-best 3-point percentage of 38.1 in the ballgame, shooting 8-of-21.
• Turnovers weren't an issue for the Trojans as they limited their numbers to a season-best six. Their previous season-low was 14 against North Dakota State.
• Emani Jenkins rejected her first career shot at Troy for a career-high.
• Wagner set a new career-high in field goals made (7) while tying it for 3-pointers made (2).
Despite outscoring the Rockets (6-2) in points in the paint (28-22), off turnovers (15-11), second-chance (15-14) and fastbreak (18-12), the Trojans (5-6) couldn't overcome 18 free throws made by the opposition and a 50-38 loss in the rebound column.
Sun Belt Player of the Week and NCAA Starting Five member Shaulana Wagner led the Trojans in scoring with 17 points on 7-of-18 from the field and 2-of-3 from deep. She also had six rebounds and tied for a team-high four assists with Khila Morris. Ashley Baez matched her career-high set against Memphis with 16 points and seized a career-high six rebounds. The Trojans flipped the script in the second quarter when it shot 38.9 percent from the field while holding Toledo to 3-of-12 (25 percent).
Sammi Mikonowicz led Toledo in scoring with 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds – she shot a perfect 5-of-5 from the charity stripe. Khera Goss followed close behind with 11 points and eight rebounds, shooting 4-of-8 from the field. All but one Rocket secured a rebound to be just the second team to outrebound the Trojans – the only other team was No. 7 LSU.
Faltered Late
The first 6:33 saw Troy continue its momentum from the second quarter by outscoring Toledo 21-7 in the third to hold a 50-39 lead on a layup from Morris. The onslaught included an 11-0 run that included buckets from Wagner (5), Baez (2) and Morris (4). However, Toledo recovered to trim the margin five, 50-45, entering the fourth on a 5-0 run.
Toledo kept the pressure on in the first 3:44 of the fourth as it took the lead, 54-52, on a jumper from Nan Garcia when she took the pass from Kendall Carruthers to cap off a 9-2 run. Emma Imevbore stopped the run herself with a steal, followed by a bucket inside to tie the game, 54-54, with 5:37 remaining.
Leilani Guion tied the game again, 57-57, following an and-one for Cadence Dykstra on her second triple with 4:24 on the clock. But Toledo couldn't be denied as it went on a 9-0 run, capped off by a layup from Hannah Noveroske to hold a 66-57 lead with under a minute to go. In the 3:23 span, Troy shot 0-of-2 and had two turnovers, while Toledo shot 2-of-2 from the field and 4-of-4 at the line.
With 0:54 remaining, Wagner kept Troy within reach when Baez found her behind the arc, and she hit, 66-60, for her second triple of the game and third of 2024-25. But Zay Dyer was the only Trojan to convert in the final 0:54 as Toledo went 4-of-6 at the line to finish the 70-62 comeback and push Troy into the consolation bracket.
Second Quarter Comeback
The Trojans entered the second quarter down nine, 21-12, until Wagner erupted with back-to-back buckets in the first 1:12 to cut the margin to five, 21-16. Her first came off a turnover by Toledo to open the second, followed by Dyer grabbing the offensive board and finding No. 13 for the finish.
Toledo struck inside via Noveroske before Guion found her stroke from deep with 7:43 remaining, 23-19, as she drilled her sixth 3-pointer in the last three games. Baez continued the comeback from the free throw line when Wagner swiped the ball and found Baez, who forced the shooting foul at the 2:26 mark – she converted both for a 23-21 score.
Noveroske hit one at the charity stripe with 6:48 remaining, 24-21, before a 2:10 scoreless drought on both sides was ended by Baez. Wagner grabbed the Toledo miss and dished it to the Dominican Republic native for the lay-in, 24-23. Toledo found itself back up four, 27-24, with 4:18 left after Ella Weaver hit from deep and Jamirica Roberson converted one at the line.
Troy ended the half outscoring Toledo 8-2, starting when Briana Peguero got the pass from Morris and connected from deep to tie the game at 27 – 3:19 on the clock. Wagner gave Troy the lead inside, 29-27, before Garcia retied the game at 29 at the 7:52 mark. The senior guard hit one more at the stripe, and Morris ended the half for Troy with a layup inside to walk into the locker room with a 32-29 lead.
Head Coach Chanda Rigby
"We're very disappointed that we didn't come out with the win tonight. We wanted to be in that winner's bracket tomorrow. So, now we play the loser of Arkansas/Liberty. A lot of factors went into the loss. I don't think we gave our best effort at the beginning of the game. But that second quarter, everyone laid their bodies on the line to comeback. For some reason, we didn't do that in the first quarter, and that gave them a mental edge at the end of the game. I can't fully explain how they outrebounded us besides effort. I'm still proud of my team for many reasons. We need to mend our broken hearts and finish nonconference play strong tomorrow."
Next Round
The Trojans face Arkansas tomorrow at 6 p.m. at the Cherokee Resort & Convention Center to decide who claims bronze.
Semifinal Numbers
• For the 10th game of the season, Baez finished in double-figures as she led Troy in scoring with 16 points on 6-of-12 from the field and two triples.
• Troy led in points in the paint (28-22), off turnovers (15-11), second-chance (15-14) and fastbreak (18-12) despite the loss.
• Wagner converted two triples in the ballgame, going 2-of-3 from deep. Her two makes doubled her numbers on the season as she entered 1-of-20 from behind the arc.
• The Trojans were elite from deep with their second-best 3-point percentage of 38.1 in the ballgame, shooting 8-of-21.
• Turnovers weren't an issue for the Trojans as they limited their numbers to a season-best six. Their previous season-low was 14 against North Dakota State.
• Emani Jenkins rejected her first career shot at Troy for a career-high.
• Wagner set a new career-high in field goals made (7) while tying it for 3-pointers made (2).
Team Stats
UT
TROY
FG%
.367
.357
3FG%
.333
.381
FT%
.750
.444
RB
50
38
TO
11
6
STL
3
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
17
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Basketball (W)
G
/ Basketball (W)
C
/ Basketball (W)
G
/ Basketball (W)G
/ Basketball (W)
G
/ Basketball (W)
F
/ Basketball (W)G
/ Basketball (W)Ashley Beverly Kelley - Troy University Sports Hall of Fame
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