Troy University Athletics
Saturday, February 24
Mobile, Ala.
2 p.m.
Troy University
at
South Alabama
Women's Basketball Looks to Spoil South Alabama Senior Day in Road Finale
2/23/2024 11:56:00 AM | Basketball (W)
TROY, Ala. – One final road game awaits Troy women's basketball on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Mitchell Center when it takes on in-state rival South Alabama with hopes of clinching a double-bye in the SBC Tournament.
With three games remaining, the Trojans (16-10, 12-3 SBC) are one win or a ULM and Georgia State loss from clinching a double-bye for the tournament, while the Jaguars (8-20, 1-14 SBC) sit at the bottom of the standings on a five-game losing streak to ensure they play in the first round.
Game Information
Location: Mobile, Ala. – Mitchell Center
The Matchup: Troy (16-10, 12-3 SBC) vs South Alabama (8-20, 1-14 SBC)
When: Saturday, February 24 – 2 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyStats.com
Rivalry Time
On a four-game win streak, the Trojans solidified a top-six seed in the Sun Belt Tournament as they clinched three straight sweeps over conference opponents with a 77-65 win over the Red Wolves of Arkansas State and tied its mark for conference wins in 2022-23 at 12.
The Troy defense kept the Sun Belt's leading scorer, Izzy Higginbottom, to just 13 points on 5-of-14 from the field, while Makayia Hallmon returned as a scoring machine with a team-high 15 points on 7-of-14. Meanwhile, Tai'Sheka Porchia had her second straight double-double on a 13-point, 11-rebound performance, and Leilani Augmon returned to ASU and dropped eight points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
After leading from the 3:57 mark of the first quarter, Troy was up five, 37-32, to open the third quarter. However, in the next 15:02, the Trojans outscored the Red Wolves 38-15 to balloon the advantage to 28 points on a Zay Dyer lay-in, 75-47. The Trojans allowed an 18-2 run to close out the ballgame but cruised to a 12-point victory, 77-65.
Troy looks to avenge last year's regular-season buzzer-beater finale loss, 60-59, to the Jaguars that saw a piece of the title disappear. Hallmon scored 15 points, while Porchia grabbed a double-double on 12 points and 11 rebounds. However, an even matchup throughout came down to who had the ball last: Kelsey Thompson.
Jags Down
South Alabama saw its 10th women's basketball head coach, Yolisha Jackson, join the team after spending three years as an assistant at South Florida. The Jaguars' sole conference victory came against Texas State on Feb. 3, 65-64. Since then, South has ridden a five-game losing streak.
After a 74-42 loss to Louisiana on Wednesday, the Jaguars remain winless in the Mitchell Center during SBC play. The loss saw zero Jaguars finish with double-digits as their leading scorer, Emani Burks, came off the bench for nine points in 30 minutes. South Alabama shot 26.9 percent from the field and committed 19 turnovers in the loss.
The 2023-24 season hasn't gone the Jaguars' way, as they sit one loss and a win by Coastal Carolina and Texas State from clinching the 14-seed in the SBC Tournament. South Alabama ranks in the bottom third in the conference in nearly every statistical category, with its best placement at fifth for free throw percentage (72.4).
Road Finale Stats
• The 12th conference win for Troy marks the 10th straight season with 12-plus SBC victories for head coach Chanda Rigby.
• Last year's matchup in Mobile marked the first loss to South Alabama since March 14, 2019. Before last season, Troy had won seven straight by a plus-19.9 margin of victory.
• Porchia continues to lead the conference in offensive rebounds at 4.3 while ranking 10th in the nation.
• Porchia sits fourth in career field goal percentage at 49.6, seventh in scoring average at 13.7 and ninth in rebound average at 7.5 in Troy D-I history – her field goal percentage also sits eighth all-time.
• Hollings led the Trojans in points (43), field goals made (18) and rebounds (22) en route to Sun Belt Player of the Week. She averaged 21.5 points on 58.1 percent from the field and 70 percent from the line. The West Point native also notched two double-doubles, averaging 11 rebounds. Add in two steals per game and 'Stixs' dominated all-around.
• Troy reclaimed its crown as the leading rebound team in the conference with 46.96 per game – own the second most offensive (17.1) and defensive rebounds (29.9). They also rank second in the nation, 0.08 rebounds from LSU at No. 1.
• Wednesday's win over the Red Wolves marked just the second victory for Troy despite shooting below 40 percent – sit at 2-9, 2-3 SBC.
• 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 – first night shooting .500 percent or better since James Madison on Jan. 13. She finished with a team-best plus-25.
• Porchia sits fourth in career field goal percentage at 49.6, seventh in scoring average at 13.7 and ninth in rebound average at 7.6 in Troy D-I history – her field goal percentage also sits eighth all-time.
• If the season ended today, Porchia would have shot the 10th-best field goal percentage in Troy D-I history for a single season at 51.9.
With three games remaining, the Trojans (16-10, 12-3 SBC) are one win or a ULM and Georgia State loss from clinching a double-bye for the tournament, while the Jaguars (8-20, 1-14 SBC) sit at the bottom of the standings on a five-game losing streak to ensure they play in the first round.
Game Information
Location: Mobile, Ala. – Mitchell Center
The Matchup: Troy (16-10, 12-3 SBC) vs South Alabama (8-20, 1-14 SBC)
When: Saturday, February 24 – 2 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyStats.com
Rivalry Time
On a four-game win streak, the Trojans solidified a top-six seed in the Sun Belt Tournament as they clinched three straight sweeps over conference opponents with a 77-65 win over the Red Wolves of Arkansas State and tied its mark for conference wins in 2022-23 at 12.
The Troy defense kept the Sun Belt's leading scorer, Izzy Higginbottom, to just 13 points on 5-of-14 from the field, while Makayia Hallmon returned as a scoring machine with a team-high 15 points on 7-of-14. Meanwhile, Tai'Sheka Porchia had her second straight double-double on a 13-point, 11-rebound performance, and Leilani Augmon returned to ASU and dropped eight points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
After leading from the 3:57 mark of the first quarter, Troy was up five, 37-32, to open the third quarter. However, in the next 15:02, the Trojans outscored the Red Wolves 38-15 to balloon the advantage to 28 points on a Zay Dyer lay-in, 75-47. The Trojans allowed an 18-2 run to close out the ballgame but cruised to a 12-point victory, 77-65.
Troy looks to avenge last year's regular-season buzzer-beater finale loss, 60-59, to the Jaguars that saw a piece of the title disappear. Hallmon scored 15 points, while Porchia grabbed a double-double on 12 points and 11 rebounds. However, an even matchup throughout came down to who had the ball last: Kelsey Thompson.
Jags Down
South Alabama saw its 10th women's basketball head coach, Yolisha Jackson, join the team after spending three years as an assistant at South Florida. The Jaguars' sole conference victory came against Texas State on Feb. 3, 65-64. Since then, South has ridden a five-game losing streak.
After a 74-42 loss to Louisiana on Wednesday, the Jaguars remain winless in the Mitchell Center during SBC play. The loss saw zero Jaguars finish with double-digits as their leading scorer, Emani Burks, came off the bench for nine points in 30 minutes. South Alabama shot 26.9 percent from the field and committed 19 turnovers in the loss.
The 2023-24 season hasn't gone the Jaguars' way, as they sit one loss and a win by Coastal Carolina and Texas State from clinching the 14-seed in the SBC Tournament. South Alabama ranks in the bottom third in the conference in nearly every statistical category, with its best placement at fifth for free throw percentage (72.4).
Road Finale Stats
• The 12th conference win for Troy marks the 10th straight season with 12-plus SBC victories for head coach Chanda Rigby.
• Last year's matchup in Mobile marked the first loss to South Alabama since March 14, 2019. Before last season, Troy had won seven straight by a plus-19.9 margin of victory.
• Porchia continues to lead the conference in offensive rebounds at 4.3 while ranking 10th in the nation.
• Porchia sits fourth in career field goal percentage at 49.6, seventh in scoring average at 13.7 and ninth in rebound average at 7.5 in Troy D-I history – her field goal percentage also sits eighth all-time.
• Hollings led the Trojans in points (43), field goals made (18) and rebounds (22) en route to Sun Belt Player of the Week. She averaged 21.5 points on 58.1 percent from the field and 70 percent from the line. The West Point native also notched two double-doubles, averaging 11 rebounds. Add in two steals per game and 'Stixs' dominated all-around.
• Troy reclaimed its crown as the leading rebound team in the conference with 46.96 per game – own the second most offensive (17.1) and defensive rebounds (29.9). They also rank second in the nation, 0.08 rebounds from LSU at No. 1.
• Wednesday's win over the Red Wolves marked just the second victory for Troy despite shooting below 40 percent – sit at 2-9, 2-3 SBC.
• 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 – first night shooting .500 percent or better since James Madison on Jan. 13. She finished with a team-best plus-25.
• Porchia sits fourth in career field goal percentage at 49.6, seventh in scoring average at 13.7 and ninth in rebound average at 7.6 in Troy D-I history – her field goal percentage also sits eighth all-time.
• If the season ended today, Porchia would have shot the 10th-best field goal percentage in Troy D-I history for a single season at 51.9.
Players Mentioned
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/ Basketball (W)Ashley Beverly Kelley - Troy University Sports Hall of Fame
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Chanda Rigby Postgame Press Conference - Illinois State
Thursday, April 03