Troy University Athletics
Troy University
16-10,12-3Sun Belt
Arkansas State
13-13,6-9Sun Belt
Women’s Basketball Dominates Arkansas State
2/21/2024 10:41:00 PM | Basketball (W)
JONESBORO, Ark. – A third straight conference victory, 77-65, on Wednesday night over Arkansas State in the First National Bank Arena gives Troy women's basketball a third consecutive sweep over a conference opponent.
The fourth straight overall victory for the Trojans (16-10, 12-3 SBC) ties them in SBC wins (12) from 2022-23, while the Red Wolves (13-13, 6-9 SBC) drop to .500 with their third straight loss, putting them 1.5 games ahead of having to play in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament.
Tai'Sheka Porchia seized her second straight double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Makayia Hallmon led in scoring for the sixth time with 15 points on her first 50-plus percent night since James Madison on Jan. 13. Off the bench, Zay Dyer erupted with 13 points while Leilani Augmon returned to Arkansas State and dropped eight points, one steal, one block and her first 10-plus rebound game for Troy at 10.
With the Sun Belt's leading scorer, Izzy Higginbottom, held to 13 points on 5-of-14 from the field, Annaliese Griffen had to shine with 21 points on four triples and seven rebounds. Lauren Pendleton (12) and Wynter Rogers (10) also ended with double digits, but 35.3 percent shooting kept them down.
End It in the Third
Higginbottom pushed Troy's advantage down to five, 37-32, with 9:41 left in the third, but Hallmon immediately responded, pulling up from just inside the arc and drilling the jumper, 39-32, to set the tone at the 0:47 mark.
With the margin stuck at seven, 41-34, Daniel opened the floodgates with 7:27 left, launching Troy on a 14-2 run that went until 1:51 left in the quarter. The run began when Daniel drove inside for the lay-in, 43-34, and ended when Hallmon used the Red Wolf defender to inbound the ball and convert, 55-36.
Hallmon kept going to open the fourth, drilling the triple at the 0:13 mark to push Troy's advantage to 19, 58-39. The lead stayed at 19, 66-47, until Dyer converted from behind the arc to open another 9-0 run, which ended with a Dyer lay-in with 4:39 remaining for Troy's largest lead of 28, 75-47.
The Red Wolves converted five triples in the remaining minutes while Troy scored once more by Dyer to lessen Troy's dominant victory when the buzzer sounded, 77-65.
Double-Digits Early
After a silent 3:16 from the Trojans, Hollings broke through off an assist by Hallmon, as the Red Wolves left her wide open from the top of the arc, 4-3. Daniel followed it at the 3:57 mark when Hollings swiped the ball from ASU and it ended in her hands for the and-one, 6-4.
A free throw by Cheyenne Forney got a response from Dyer, who capitalized off a traveling violation and pushed the lead to three off an Augmon assist. Augmon went the scoring route next when she scored the second-chance triple and an and-one, 14-5, with 2:56 remaining.
Troy kept pushing the issue when another travel by the Red Wolves gave it the ball and Gabbi Cartagena found Leilani Guion open from deep, 17-5. Like Augmon, Cartagena went from passer to scorer when she finished the second-chance opportunity, 19-5, with 1:43 left.
Mailyn Wilkerson managed a triple with 1:13 remaining, 19-8, but the Red Wolves couldn't capitalize further as both sides combined for 0-of-6 from the field as Troy finished the first with a double-digit advantage that the Red Wolves couldn't come back from.
Head Coach Chanda Rigby
"It was a really good win on the road. This team took us to overtime last time, so we definitely have shown improvement over time. I wish our defense was consistent throughout, but when our defense was peaking, it was really good. Everyone got to play tonight, and everyone contributed. Big shoutout to Leilani Augmon, who came in and shot the ball well. It's been a while since we've had someone come off the bench and have that type of confidence. Also, Mae Mae got her confidence back. She looked in complete control and it was fun to watch."
Three Straight Sweeps
• Guion made her first career start for Troy, marking the eighth different lineup in 2023-24 – finished with six points and two assists.
• The victory marks Troy's 13th in the last 14 meetings and improves its record to .500 in Jonesboro at 6-6 all-time.
• Augmon becomes the seventh active Trojan to have a 10-plus rebound performance with a career-high of 10.
• After starting 0-4 on the road, the Trojans are winners in seven of their last nine to sit above .500 at 7-6.
• Hallmon returned to form on a team-high 15 points on 7-of-14 from the field for the first time since visiting Southern Miss on Feb. 4. She finished with a team-best plus-25.
• Troy tied a season-high with eight makes from behind the arch on 25 attempts – Hollings and Guion led the charge with two.
Rivalry Time
Game one of the Troy-South Alabama rivalry occurs on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Mitchell Center.
