Women’s Basketball Welcomes South Alabama for Regular-Season Finale

Friday, March 1

Troy, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

South Alabama

Women’s Basketball Welcomes South Alabama for Regular-Season Finale

2/29/2024 4:00:00 PM | Basketball (W)

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – One game remains in the regular season for Troy women's basketball on Friday at 6 p.m. when it invites in-state rival South Alabama to Trojan Arena for a second matchup.

With the No. 2-seed clinched for the Trojans (18-10, 14-3 SBC), they simply aim to extend their win streak to seven before entering a two-round bye while the Jaguars (9-21, 2-14 SBC) try to win back-to-back games for the first time in SBC play to end the season.

Game Information
Location: Troy, Ala. – Trojan Arena
The Matchup: Troy (18-10, 14-3 SBC) vs. South Alabama (9-21, 2-14 SBC)
When: Friday, March 1 – 6 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyStats.com

Second Seed
For the first time since ULM on Feb. 11, 2023 (108-82), the Trojans scored in triple-figures when they blew out App State for a seventh straight win over the Mountaineers, 102-69, on 43.6 percent shooting. Wednesday also saw a career night for Zay Dyer as she produced a season-high 20 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. Ja'Mia Hollings followed her lead with a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double.

The Trojans won the game from the tip as Tai'Sheka Porchia set Troy up for a 9-0 run on a bucket off the Mountaineer turnover before ending the first with a 13-point lead, 24-11 on a triple by Sharonica Hartsfield. The lead ballooned up to 37 by the 4:16 mark of the fourth, 89-52, on another Hartsfield bucket. When the buzzer sounded, the Trojans had a 33-point win, 102-69, where they set a season-high 27 assists and an opponent-low 29.3 percent from the field.

Friday night marks six days since the Trojans faced the Jaguars and completed a second-half comeback to win 88-79 in the Mitchell Center. A silent first half was met with 17 of Nia Daniel's 21 points and 8-of-8 shooting from the charity stripe for Makayia Hallmon to finish with 18. Overall, the Trojans outrebounded USA 30-10 in the second half and limited the opposition to 3-of-17 from the field (17.6 percent) and 1-of-8 from deep (12.5 percent) in the third for the victory.

With a No. 2 seed clinched before Friday, the Trojans look for a seventh straight victory for the second time of 2023-24 and an eighth straight win in Trojan Arena. It also closes the chapter in Trojan Arena for seniors Hallmon, Porchia, Hollings and Daniel as they all look to start, potentially, their final home game. The seniors have combined for 3,196 points, 1,411 rebounds, 264 assists, 246 steals, 112 blocks and 38 double-doubles in 255 games and 207 starts.

Bottom Seed
USA won its second game of SBC play on Wednesday to keep the chance of a No. 13 seed alive, sitting one game behind Texas State. The Jaguars defeated Louisiana in the Cajundome, 46-43, surviving a 16-0 run by the Ragin' Cajuns and avenging a 32-point loss to the opposition six days prior.

Michiyah Simmons came off the bench for USA to be the lone double-digit scorer with 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Rachel Leggett was the closest behind with nine points on 3-of-4 from the field. USA remains out of place without its leading scorer, Kelsey Thompson (12.0), who was injured in the first matchup with Louisiana.

Despite sitting in the bottom half of the conference in every statistical team category besides three-point defense – rank fifth at 28.2 percent – the Jaguars do have the top 3-point shooter in the SBC in Jordan Rosier, who shoots 2.5 per game on the fourth-best percentage (38.1).

Finale Numbers
• 14 conference wins for Troy marks the 10^th straight season with 12-plus SBC victories for head coach Chanda Rigby and the fourth time with 14-plus.
• Last week, 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.
• Porchia continues to lead the conference in offensive rebounds at 4.3 while ranking 10^th in the nation.
• Troy reclaimed its crown as the leading rebound team in the nation and SBC with 47.79 per game – own the third most offensive (17.4) and 10^th most defensive rebounds (30.4) in the country.
• Porchia sits fourth in career field goal percentage at 49.8, seventh in scoring average at 13.7 and ninth in rebound average at 7.6 for Troy D-I history – her field goal percentage also sits eighth all-time.
• Last these teams met, Daniel scored 17 of her 21 points in the second half, including 11 in the opening five minutes of the third quarter – shot 6-of-11 from the field, grabbed seven rebounds and had two blocks and two steals.
• Hollings sits four rebounds (245) from entering the top 10 for total rebounds in a single season, surpassing Donette McNair (2010-11).
• If the season ended today, Porchia would have shot the 10^th-best field goal percentage in Troy D-I history for a single season at 51.9.
• In the win over App State, Dyer scored a season-high 20 points on 8-of-15 from the field with a career-high 16 rebounds.
• Sara Carvajal Caro notched career-highs in minutes (10) and rebounds (6) while grabbing four points and a block on Wednesday
• On 174 free throw attempts, Hallmon converted 137 to sit sixth for Troy all-time and D-I history for career free throw percentage (78.7).
• For the eighth straight season, the Trojans clinch a top-four seed at No. 2 – first time Troy entered the SBC tournament as the second seed.
• With 102 points scored, Wednesday's win improved Rigby's record when scoring 100-plus points to 30-3 and marked the first triple-figure game since ULM on Feb. 11, 2023 (W, 108-82).
• Dyer's 17 rebounds ties Porchia for the most in a single game for 2023-24.
• Troy's ball movement was pristine against App, setting a new season-high of 27 assists – most since Belmont (19) on Nov. 29, 2023, and the first 25-plus assist game since ULM on Feb. 11, 2023.