Troy University Athletics
Saturday, January 11
Troy, Ala.
3:33 p.m.
Troy University
vs
Arkansas State
Troy Men’s Basketball Hosts Arkansas State on Saturday Afternoon
1/10/2025 12:54:00 PM | Basketball (M)
TROY, Ala. – The Troy men's basketball team looks to right the ship after a one-point loss on Thursday night, as it welcomes the Sun Belt preseason favorite Arkansas State to Trojan Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Troy (10-5, 3-1 SBC) came up just short against Texas State last time out, falling 74-73 for its first conference defeat of the season. Arkansas State (11-5, 2-2 SBC) enters Saturday on a two-game losing streak.
Game Information
The Matchup: Arkansas State at Troy
When: Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 | 3:33 p.m.
Where: Troy, Ala. | Trojan Arena (5,200)
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Media Network
Live Stats: Troystats.com
Tickets: TroyTrojans.com/tickets
The Trojans continue to get strong play from senior guard Tayton Conerway, who had a team-high 15 points on Thursday. Conerway is the reigning Sun Belt Men's Basketball Player of the Week, and has scored 13 or more points in each conference game this season, including 15 or more in the last three.
Through four conference games he's averaging 16.0 points while shooting 61.5 percent from the field and 47.4 percent from 3-point range. Myles Rigsby has also gotten off to a strong start in conference play, as he's averaging 13.0 points on 46.7 percent shooting – 45.5 from distance – against SBC teams.
Troy shot the ball well on Thursday, going 22-46 (47.8 percent). Going into the contest Troy was 9-1 when shooting over 40 percent. The Trojans are third in the conference this season in shooting percentage at 45.3.
On the defense side of the ball, Troy's opponent's are 41.6 percent from the field and 32.8 percent from beyond the arch. Conerway continues to be one of the better on-ball defenders in the conference and country, as his 46 steals and 3.07 steals per game are both leading the Sun Belt and fourth in the country among Division I players.
As a team, Troy is forcing the 21st most steals per game in the country at 9.8, a mark that is second in the Sun Belt behind South Alabama (10.0). The Trojans are also forcing 14.7 turnovers per game, which is second in the Sun Belt and 50th in the nation.
Scouting Arkansas State
Picked first in the Sun Belt Coaches Preseason Poll, the Red Wolves put together an impressive non-conference slate, which included a win over nationally ranked Memphis on the road. It hasn't been as smooth sailing during Sun Belt play, as they have dropped their last two games against James Madison and South Alabama.
Taryn Todd is leading the way for Arkansas State this season with a team-high 16.5 points. Kobe Julien – who transferred from Louisiana prior to the season – is second on the team with 13.6 points but hasn't played since Dec. 15 in the Red Wolves win over UAB.
Troy is 17-13 all-time against Arkansas State but has dropped its last two meetings – both last season.
Protect the Fortress
Despite the loss on Thursday, Troy has seen immense success when playing inside its friendly confines. Since the start of last season, Troy is 21-4 inside Trojan Arena, including 9-2 against Sun Belt foes. Under the direction of head coach Scott Cross, the Trojans are 55-23 at home.
Notables
• Scott Cross is in his sixth season at the helm for Troy men's basketball, and his 18th as a Division I men's basketball head coach. While at Troy he has put together an 90-81 record, which includes three straight seasons of 20 or more wins. In each of those three seasons, he has also led the Trojans to 10 or more conference wins.
• The Trojans entered 2024-25 picked to finish third in the Sun Belt Coaches Preseason Poll, which is the highest it had been selected to finish since the start of the 2017-18 season. Troy received one first-place vote.
• After his impressive week, Tayton Conerway was named the Sun Belt Men's Basketball Player of the Week on Tuesday afternoon. The senior guard averaged 18 points, 5.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 steals. He's the second Trojan to win the award this season (Jackson Fields, Nov. 12).
• The Trojans are second in the conference in bench points per game (27.7), fastbreak points (12.7), free throw percentage (72.8), turnovers forced per game (14.7), steals per game (9.8), scoring margin (+7.7) and offensive rebounds per game (13.6).
• Scott Cross has started all 15 games this season with the same starting lineup (Rigsby Jr., Conerway, Rigsby, Dowd and Fields). The longest streak of the same starting lineup last season was six games.
• Troy is 55-23 all-time inside Trojan Arena under head coach Scott Cross, including 21-4 since the beginning of last season.
Troy (10-5, 3-1 SBC) came up just short against Texas State last time out, falling 74-73 for its first conference defeat of the season. Arkansas State (11-5, 2-2 SBC) enters Saturday on a two-game losing streak.
Game Information
The Matchup: Arkansas State at Troy
When: Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 | 3:33 p.m.
Where: Troy, Ala. | Trojan Arena (5,200)
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Media Network
Live Stats: Troystats.com
Tickets: TroyTrojans.com/tickets
The Trojans continue to get strong play from senior guard Tayton Conerway, who had a team-high 15 points on Thursday. Conerway is the reigning Sun Belt Men's Basketball Player of the Week, and has scored 13 or more points in each conference game this season, including 15 or more in the last three.
Through four conference games he's averaging 16.0 points while shooting 61.5 percent from the field and 47.4 percent from 3-point range. Myles Rigsby has also gotten off to a strong start in conference play, as he's averaging 13.0 points on 46.7 percent shooting – 45.5 from distance – against SBC teams.
Troy shot the ball well on Thursday, going 22-46 (47.8 percent). Going into the contest Troy was 9-1 when shooting over 40 percent. The Trojans are third in the conference this season in shooting percentage at 45.3.
On the defense side of the ball, Troy's opponent's are 41.6 percent from the field and 32.8 percent from beyond the arch. Conerway continues to be one of the better on-ball defenders in the conference and country, as his 46 steals and 3.07 steals per game are both leading the Sun Belt and fourth in the country among Division I players.
As a team, Troy is forcing the 21st most steals per game in the country at 9.8, a mark that is second in the Sun Belt behind South Alabama (10.0). The Trojans are also forcing 14.7 turnovers per game, which is second in the Sun Belt and 50th in the nation.
Scouting Arkansas State
Picked first in the Sun Belt Coaches Preseason Poll, the Red Wolves put together an impressive non-conference slate, which included a win over nationally ranked Memphis on the road. It hasn't been as smooth sailing during Sun Belt play, as they have dropped their last two games against James Madison and South Alabama.
Taryn Todd is leading the way for Arkansas State this season with a team-high 16.5 points. Kobe Julien – who transferred from Louisiana prior to the season – is second on the team with 13.6 points but hasn't played since Dec. 15 in the Red Wolves win over UAB.
Troy is 17-13 all-time against Arkansas State but has dropped its last two meetings – both last season.
Protect the Fortress
Despite the loss on Thursday, Troy has seen immense success when playing inside its friendly confines. Since the start of last season, Troy is 21-4 inside Trojan Arena, including 9-2 against Sun Belt foes. Under the direction of head coach Scott Cross, the Trojans are 55-23 at home.
Notables
• Scott Cross is in his sixth season at the helm for Troy men's basketball, and his 18th as a Division I men's basketball head coach. While at Troy he has put together an 90-81 record, which includes three straight seasons of 20 or more wins. In each of those three seasons, he has also led the Trojans to 10 or more conference wins.
• The Trojans entered 2024-25 picked to finish third in the Sun Belt Coaches Preseason Poll, which is the highest it had been selected to finish since the start of the 2017-18 season. Troy received one first-place vote.
• After his impressive week, Tayton Conerway was named the Sun Belt Men's Basketball Player of the Week on Tuesday afternoon. The senior guard averaged 18 points, 5.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 steals. He's the second Trojan to win the award this season (Jackson Fields, Nov. 12).
• The Trojans are second in the conference in bench points per game (27.7), fastbreak points (12.7), free throw percentage (72.8), turnovers forced per game (14.7), steals per game (9.8), scoring margin (+7.7) and offensive rebounds per game (13.6).
• Scott Cross has started all 15 games this season with the same starting lineup (Rigsby Jr., Conerway, Rigsby, Dowd and Fields). The longest streak of the same starting lineup last season was six games.
• Troy is 55-23 all-time inside Trojan Arena under head coach Scott Cross, including 21-4 since the beginning of last season.
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