Troy Slated Against James Madison to Open Sun Belt Play

Sunday, December 29

Harrisonburg, Va.

1 p.m.

Troy University

James Madison

Troy Slated Against James Madison to Open Sun Belt Play

12/28/2024 8:38:00 AM | Basketball (W)

Watch Live Listen Live Live Stats Game Notes (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – The Sun Belt Conference journey opens with Troy women's basketball traveling north to the Atlantic Union Bank Center for a match slated against the SBC Preseason Poll champ James Madison. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 29, on ESPN+.

Both teams earned first-place votes in the preseason polls as they finished first and second, with the Trojans (6-6, 0-0 SBC) receiving 169 total (two first-place votes) and the Dukes (8-4, 0-0 SBC) taking 191 (12 first-place votes). Sunday marks the third meeting between the programs – both sides claimed a victory at home to tie the series 1-1.

Game Information
Location: Harrisonburg, Va. – Atlantic Union Bank Center
The Matchup: Troy (6-6, 0-0 SBC) vs. James Madison (8-4, 0-0 SBC)
When: Sunday, Dec. 29 – 1 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyStats.com

Bronze Finish
Troy ended its initial nonconference slate at .500 with the program's fifth victory over a Southeastern Conference opponent and third for head coach Chanda Rigby. Arkansas stayed within striking distance throughout, but a late 7-0 run in the first 2:33 of the fourth led by all-tournament team member Shaulana Wagner and Ashley Baez gave the Trojans their final push, and they held on from there for a 77-69 victory.

The victory over Arkansas had Troy display a three-headed monster in Wagner, Zay Dyer and Brianna Jackson, who combined for 48 points, 38 rebounds, 11 assists and two double-doubles. Dyer led the way with a 23-point, 18-rebound (career-high) stat line for her league-leading sixth double-double. After posting the first-ever D-I triple-double in Troy women's basketball history against Memphis, Wagner neared her second of the month with 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Lastly, Jackson, who converted her first and second triple of the season, joined Dyer with No. 22's first double-double as a Trojan. She had 12 rebounds and 10 points.

At the Cherokee Tournament, Troy split its appearances to earn bronze after taking a loss in the opener to Toledo, 70-62. Wagner earned all-tournament recognition as she led Troy in scoring with 16 points. She added six rebounds and 6.5 assists. Dyer battled for that recognition, finishing with a double-double through both games on 14 points and a team-high 12.5 rebounds. Senior guard Baez also ended the tournament in double figures, with 13 points per game on a team-high two triples (four total).

Troy ended its nonconference slate leading the Sun Belt Conference in rebounding. The team posted 49.33 total per game for third in the country while also seizing 31.6 on the defensive end for eighth in D-I basketball. On the offensive end, Troy grabbed 17.8, which ranked seventh in the nation. The Trojans also ranked in the top three for blocks (third – 4.1), opposing field goal percentage (third – 38.0) and scoring (second – 75.9). They also had the conference leaders in assists (Wagner – 5.9), double-doubles (Dyer – six), field goals (Dyer – 71), rebounds (Dyer – 9.7) and triple-doubles (Wagner – one).

The SBC Opposition
Similar to Troy, James Madison has seen its fair share of talented opposition, taking on No. 6 Notre Dame (92-46), No. 4 Texas (93-62) and No. 21 NC State (61-47). The Dukes even took down SEC foe Florida, 77-72, in the St. Pete Showcase en route to tie for the second-best nonconference record in the Sun Belt Conference at 8-4. JMU enters nonconference play with the highest expectations, getting selected to finish first in the SBC Preseason Polls with the Preseason Player of the Year (Peyton McDaniels).

The predictions were accurate regarding McDaniels as she leads the Dukes in scoring (13.8 points) on the fifth-best field goal percentage in the league (37.5) and ninth-best 3-point percentage (31.6). Where No. 00 is lethal is her ability to rebound (8.5) and steal (1.92) the ball, where she ranks 84^th and 70^th in the nation – she ranks fourth and third in the league, respectively.

SBC Opener Stats
• Wagner swept the nonconference tournaments with all-tournament recognition, averaging 16 points, 6.5 assists and six rebounds at Cherokee.
• On Jan. 13, 2024, the Trojans took their first victory over JMU after winning the turnover battle 14-8 and dominating in fastbreak points 25-18.
• The last time Troy met with JMU, Dyer finished with a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Leilani Guion had 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting in the 87-74 victory.
• The overall series is split 1-1, with the teams taking their respective victory at home.
• JMU (191) and Troy (169) finished first and second in the SBC Preseason Polls as the lone pair of teams to receive first-place votes.
• Baez leads the Trojans with double-figures for scoring in 11-of-12 games for 12.1 points on 40.5 percent from the field.
• Dyer leads the SBC in double-doubles with six – she also ranks 15^th in the nation.
• Ngnawo and Dyer compete for the top spot in the SBC for rebounding as they sit atop the rankings at first (35^th nationally) and second (75^th nationally) with 9.1 and 8.8, respectively.
• Wagner leads the league in assists per game (5.9) and total assists (71) while ranking 15^th and 17^th in the nation, respectively.
• Through the opening 12 games, Troy remains a premiere SBC team in rebounding, leading the pack with 49.33 per game – Troy ranks third nationally.
• In nine of the last 11 games, Wagner's finished with 5-plus assists. She's collected 5-plus assists 24 times in her Troy career.
• Wagner became the first D-I player in Troy women's basketball history to record a triple-double on 12 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. She's one of 11 players in the country and the lone SBC player to record a triple-double in 2024-25.
• Baez has swiped multiple steals in 7-of-12 games in 2024-25, including 20 in the last eight games.
• Wagner eclipsed the 200-assist mark in her Troy career against Memphis. She's 14 away from hopping into the D-I top-10 at Troy through two seasons.
• Troy returns 18.8 percent of its scoring, 43.7 percent of assists, 26.4 percent of rebounds, 26.9 percent of blocks and 26.2 percent of minutes from the 2023-24 roster.
• Wagner, one of Troy's three returners, comes off a season where she ranked sixth in program D-I history for total assists at 150 and ninth for assists per game at 4.9.
• Last season, the Trojans ranked in the top two within the conference for assist/turnover ratio (1st– 1.09), rebounds (1st – 47.88), scoring (2nd – 80.9), defensive and offensive rebounds (2nd – 30.8, 17.1), rebound margin (2nd – 7.8) and assists (2nd – 15.4) – also led the nation in rebounding.
• The victory marked head coach Chanda Rigby and the Trojans' first victory over the Razorbacks, entering 0-1. It also marks the third win over an SEC opponent in Rigby's tenure – she's 3-23 overall. The last win came against Mississippi State, 73-66, on Dec. 18.
• Dyer finished with her fifth double-double in the last six games, posting a team-high 23 points and 18 rebounds. She's had six double-doubles in 2024-25 and 14 in her career.
• 'Mo' also ended the night with a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double for her first as a Trojan.
• No. 5's 18 rebounds (six offensive) secured a new career-high. Her previous was 17 against App State on Feb. 28, 2024.
• Jackson converted her first and second triple of 2024-25 for the Trojans after starting 0-of-15. In her career, No. 22 has shot 4-of-30 entering the day.
• The Trojans led for the entirety of the first half, losing the lead only once in the third to hold the advantage for 37:02.
• Troy ends the nonconference slate at 6-6, going 3-1 in tournament play.
• Dyer led the Trojans in Cherokee Tournament play, averaging 14 points and 12.5 rebounds in the two days.
• Wagner swept the nonconference tournaments with a 2024 Cherokee Tournament All-Tournament team selection on 16 points, six rebounds and 6.5 assists.
• Wagner earned Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week last week with her historic triple-double, becoming the first Trojan of 2024-25 and the first since Ja'Mia Hollings on Feb. 20, 2024.
• The Trojans became the first Sun Belt Conference team to win the Great Alaska Shootout and 41^st in their first nonconference tournament of 2024-25.
• In her historic triple-double night against Memphis, Wagner also dished out a career-high 11 assists. She became the first player since Sharonica Hartsfield (Nov. 11, 2023) against Ball State to have double-digit assists.
• The Trojans scored 61 points in the first half against Oakwood, marking the first time they scored 60-plus points in a half since South Alabama on March 1, 2024.
• Six Trojans ended the night against Oakwood in double-figures for the first time since Georgia State on Jan. 7, 2022.
• Against Oakwood, Troy marked the 56^th time it scored triple-figures and the 37^th time in Rigby's career. Troy is 52-4 overall and 34-3 under Rigby when scoring 100-plus points.
• Troy ended with 28 steals on Oakwood for the most since Georgia State (20) on Jan. 7, 2022. The Trojans scored 46 points off those turnovers. The 28 steals were just four shy of Troy's D-I single-game record.
• Ngnawo finished with 10 rebounds against Oakwood to record double-figure rebounds in 5-of-9 games.
• Under head coach Chanda Rigby, the Trojans are 11-2 in their home openers. The program's started 2-0 at home eight times (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2024-25).
• No. 13 has led Troy in scoring and/or assists in all 12 games in 2024-25.
• For the first time since ULM on Feb. 1, 2024, the Trojans finished with 30-plus offensive rebounds (31) against Mississippi Valley State.
• Wagner earned the Most Outstanding Player of the Great Alaska Tournament by scoring 12.5 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
• Dyer got the Great Alaska Shootout All-Tournament team nod with 13.5 points, 10 rebounds, one block and two assists.
• A 20-point comeback over Alaska-Anchorage marked the first time the Trojans overcame a 20-plus point deficit since Jackson State on Dec. 20, 2021. That day, the Trojans trailed by 24 and won 99-82.
• For the most blocks by a Trojan since LaGrange (12/14/22) by Janeen Camp, Brianna Jackson rejected six shots on Buffalo.
• Grace Daniels became the newest member of the Trojans, being hired as the new assistant coach to pair alongside Stephanie Murphy on Oct. 26.
• 2023-24 saw the Trojans break the program record for most field goals made in a single season at 1,060 – they also broke the record for points (2,749) and field goal attempts (2,528).
• The 2024-25 roster contains zero underclassmen, with seven as seniors and five as juniors.
• Over the summer, Troy went overseas to Costa Rica, where it finished 2-0 with 78-56 and 94-50 victories.