Troy University Athletics
Troy University
13-10,9-3Sun Belt
Bowling Green
12-10,6-5MAC
Women’s Basketball Back on Track Against Bowling Green as Hollings and Wagner Shine, Chanda Rigby Claims Career Win No. 450
2/10/2024 2:50:00 PM | Basketball (W)
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Feb. 10 stands as a day of redemption for Troy as it explodes in the fourth quarter behind a near triple-double by Shaulana Wagner and career-high from Ja'Mia Hollings to defeat Bowling Green, 88-78, in the Stroh Center Saturday afternoon. The win also stands as head coach Chanda Rigby's 450th career victory and 222nd at Troy.
Game two of the MAC-SBC Challenge sees the Trojans (13-10, 9-3 SBC) get back in the win column to close out the non-conference schedule as the Falcons (12-10, 6-5 MAC) go 0-2 in the challenge.
Wagner was one point and two assists short of the first-ever D-I triple-double in program history with eight points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, while Hollings hit a free throw with 34 seconds remaining to grab a career-high 28 points on 12-of-15 from the field. Nia Daniel and Tai'Sheka Porchia also had impressive showings, with 15 and 17 points, respectively.
A whopping eight triples for 28 points from Morgan Sharps led Bowling Green, followed by a 20-point performance from Erika Porter on 8-of-9 from the field and 18 points from Amy Velasco. But a lopsided rebounding battle, 51-29, and allowing Troy to shoot 56.3 percent from the field in the fourth cost them the win.
Fourth Quarter, Our Quarter
With the game tied to start the fourth, Troy exploded from the jump after a free throw from Olivia Hill, going on a 6-0 run, 66-61, into the 2:14 mark. Wagner led the charge, grabbing the offensive rebound and finishing the possession, 62-61. She followed it by intercepting the pass from Paige Kohler and taking it coast-to-coast for the easy lay-in, 64-61 – last bucket came from Porchia off the assist from Wagner.
The game remained with a three-point difference, 68-65, before Porchia forced the foul and hit both at the charity stripe, 70-65. Daniel brought the advantage to eight, 73-65, with 6:08 remaining when she got the assist from Hollings and drilled a triple.
Bowling Green brought it back to 73-70 with 5:16 left when Sharps hit from deep after a pair of free throws from Velasco. However, the next 2:06 saw Troy score seven straight off two Falcon turnovers. Daniel hit on her second triple of the fourth before Hollings secured two layups for Troy's first double-digit lead, 80-70.
Porter willed Bowling Green back to within seven, 80-73, with 2:27 on the clock at the charity stripe, but the dagger came from Porchia with 1:41 remaining. A turnover by the Falcons gave the ball back to Troy, and Makayia Hallmon aimed to hit. Her shot missed and ended in the hands of Porchia, who rose to put in the and-one, 82-73. The final five points for Troy came via the free throw line as Hollings, Wagner and Hallmon hit to end the two-game losing streak, 88-78.
Set the Tone
Troy entered the second half down 40-37, but Hallmon quickly opened a 6-0 run by driving inside for her fourth point of the game, 40-39, 0:23 into the third.
Hallmon kept the pressure on with a steal, forcing the inbound play for Troy. Wagner inbounded the ball and found herself open from the corner. She pump-faked the shot and drove inside for the bucket and Troy's first lead of the game, 41-40, with 9:24 left in the quarter.
The run continued after Bowling Green failed to answer from deep, allowing Porchia to shoot inside. When the ball rattled off the rim, Wagner flew in for the offensive board and dished it to Hollings for the bucket, 43-40, at the 1:10 mark.
The remaining 8:50 saw Troy and Bowling Green trade punches to end the third tied 60-60 with a last-second lay-in from Hill. Overall, Troy managed to outshoot the Falcons, 58.8-44.4, and outrebound, 12-4, to tie the game.
Head Coach Chanda Rigby
"I'm extremely proud of our team today. This Bowling Green team we played today did not let us rest. They are a great 3-point shooting team and extremely smart. We were pushing as hard as we could, and they would answer. But our team laid it on the line, and Wagner was a difference maker, driving into the lane and dishing it out for great shots. We entered the locker room knowing we were playing hard enough to win. Now, we just need to play smart. We emphasized press in the second half, and they took to it and that was the difference."
Bowled a Strike
• Wagner finished with 12 rebounds – seven on the offensive end – for her third 10-plus rebound game of 2023-24.
• With the victory, the Trojans ended their non-conference schedule on a three-game winning streak that included a win in the MAC-SBC Challenge and being crowned champions of the Austin Peay Christmas Classic.
• With 28 points, Hollings claimed a career-high with her second 20-plus point game of 2023-24 and the fourth of her career.
• The Trojans obliterated Bowling Green in second-chance points, scoring 29 while keeping them at zero. They also outscored them via points off turnovers (24-10), in the paint (48-30) and bench (11-0).
• The fourth quarter saw Troy outscore Bowling Green 28-18 on 9-of-16 (56.3) from the field, 2-of-3 (66.7) from deep, 8-of-11 (72.7) from the line while winning the turnover battle, 4-0, and get five second-chance points.
Finally … Home
The four-game road trip ends on Thursday when the Trojans invite Texas State for the second 2024 matchup in Trojan Arena.
