Troy University Athletics
Saturday, January 11
Atlanta, Ga.
12 p.m.
Troy University
at
Georgia State
Troy Hits the Peach State to Battle Georgia State
1/10/2025 11:05:00 AM | Basketball (W)
ATLANTA, Ga. – Troy women's basketball takes a three-game win streak into the GSU Convocation Center for a matchup with Georgia State on Saturday, Jan. 11 at noon.
Both programs have had opposite starts to league play, as the Trojans (9-7, 3-1 SBC) opened with a loss before rattling off three straight wins. Meanwhile, the Panthers (7-8, 1-3 SBC) have fallen by a combined margin of 17.5 in their last two. Since both teams joined the Sun Belt Conference, Troy's dominated the series at 15-6 and 7-3 in the Peach State – the overall series favors Georgia State 27-19.
Game Information
Location: Atlanta, Ga. – GSU Convocation Center
The Matchup: Troy (9-7, 3-1 SBC) vs. Georgia State (7-6, 1-3 SBC)
When: Saturday, Jan. 11 – 12 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyStats.com
Take Down the Undefeated
Entering the week, three teams remained undefeated in league play. However, after Old Dominion fell to Coastal Carolina on Wednesday, the Trojans left one team remaining (James Madison) with an 85-68 onslaught to improve to 9-0 in program history at Boone. The victory also puts head coach Chanda Rigby one win away from her 150th Sun Belt Conference victory (149-68), which has only been done twice before by Brian Boyer (Arkansas State – 193) and Joe Foley (Little Rock – 231).
Dyer's Sun Belt Player of the Year caliber season continued Thursday as she scored her third 20-plus point game (22) in the last five appearances while claiming her ninth double-double (third straight) on 16 rebounds. Her nine double-doubles reign atop the charts for the league and eighth in the country – she ranks 14th in D-I basketball for rebounds at 10.5. The junior forward has quietly climbed the ranks in blocks, sitting fifth in the SBC with 1.25 per game.
Nearly every statistical category has improved for the Trojans since starting league play. The biggest jump through the opening four games has been shooting on both sides of the ball. Since league play began, Troy's shot 42.4 percent while holding opponents to 33.8. Conversely, nonconference play has seen Troy shoot 40 percent while holding the opposition to 38. Likewise, the team's 3-point percentage has improved from 26.7 to 31.4 percent.
The absence of Shaulana Wagner from the lineup allowed Briana Peguero to continue her dominant stretch as of late with her second-straight game in double-figures (13 points). She also secured her first-ever double-double as the second active Trojan to have double-digit assists in a game, finishing with a career-high of 10. Fortuna Ngnawo also returned to form, nearing a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. Overall, the Trojans peaked with a season-high field goal percentage at 50.7 in the victory while limiting the then-best shooting team in the league to 31.6 percent shooting.
Pouncing Panthers
Georgia State's start to league play has been dismal after back-to-back double-digit losses at the hands of Louisiana (68-50) and in-state rival Georgia Southern (82-57). The losses have dropped the Panthers' shooting splits to 35 percent from the field and 25.5 percent from deep in conference play. On the defensive side, Georgia State has allowed its opponent to fire off at 40.9 percent on the floor and 36.4 percent from behind the arc.
The bright spots for the Panthers are Mahogany Matthews and Crystal Henderson. Matthews stands as one of the top shot blockers in the country, averaging 2.33 per game (35 total) for 11th – she leads the conference. Henderson is elite on both ends of the ball, demonstrating her passing ability with the third-highest assist average in the SBC at 4.1 and the most steals (37).
Peach State Numbers
• Through the opening 16 games, Troy remains the premiere team in the country for rebounding, leading the pack with 49.69 per game.
• Since both teams collided as members of the Sun Belt Conference, the Trojans are 15-6 and 7-3 in Atlanta. Georgia State holds the overall series at 27-19.
• The Trojans are 7-1 in the last eight meetings with the Panthers.
• Troy seeks its 10th victory for the 11th straight season – it's had single-digit wins just 10 times in program history.
• Dyer scored 22 points off a career-high two triples and 9-of-15 shooting to claim her 30th career game in double-figures.
• Rigby sits one conference win away from the 150-career win mark (149-68), which has only been done twice in league history. She sits third in all-time wins under Brian Boyer (Arkansas State – 193) and Joe Foley (Little Rock – 231).
• Dyer earned Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week on 18.0 points, 16.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.
• Emani Jenkins has hit multiple triples in four straight games (James Madison, Coastal Carolina, Marshall, App State).
• Dyer leads the SBC in double-doubles with nine – she also ranks 8th in the nation. No. 5 also holds the top spot in rebounds at 10.5 and ranks 14th nationally.
• Wagner leads the league in assists per game (6.2) and total assists (93) while ranking 9th and 11th in the nation, respectively.
• Guion has made at least one triple in eight of her last nine games (15 total).
• Dyer's collected three 20-plus point performances in her last five games.
• Baez has swiped multiple steals in 8-of-16 games in 2024-25, including 26 in the last 12 games.
• No. 13 has led Troy in scoring and/or assists in all 15 games in 2024-25 she's played in.
• Fortuna Ngnawo has finished with double-digit rebounds in 5-of-11 games played.
• Baez returned to double-figures for the 13th time and clinched her first 20-plus point game, setting a career-high (20) on 9-of-13 shooting.
• Troy set a new season-high field goal percentage against App State, going 34-of-67 from the field for 50.7 percent.
• Peguero secured her first career double-double at App State via points (13) and a career-high assists (10). She becomes one of two active Trojans to have double-digit assists in her career.
• Ngnawo neared a double-double in her second game back against App State, recording 11 points and nine rebounds.
• Troy dominated the battle in the paint, outscoring App State 42-26 down low.
• The Trojans remained undefeated in Boone, improving to 9-0 and 18-2 all-time.
• For the second time in a week (Coastal Carolina), the Trojans had two players end with 20-plus points via Dyer (22) and Baez (20) at App State.
• Guion currently sits tied for sixth in Troy D-I history and seventh overall for career 3-point percentage at 36.0 (45-of-125).
• Dyer and Jackson went back-to-back with 21-rebound performances to tie Sky'Lynn Holmes for the fourth-most rebounds in a single game at the Division-I level.
• Guion erupted in the scoring column in the overtime win against Coastal Carolina, setting a career-high (20) on her 10th game with 10-plus points. She followed it with her first back-to-back double-digit games with 12 against Marshall.
• Wagner became the first D-I player in Troy women's basketball history to record a triple-double on 12 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. She's one of 11 players in the country and the lone SBC player to record a triple-double in 2024-25.
• Wagner earned Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week three weeks ago with her historic triple-double, becoming the first Trojan of 2024-25 and the first since Ja'Mia Hollings on Feb. 20, 2024.
• In 10 of the last 15 games, Wagner's finished with 5-plus assists. She's collected 5-plus assists 25 times in her Troy career.
• For the fifth time under Rigby, the Trojans advance to 4-0 at home (2015-16, 2017-18, 2019-20, 2021-22) and 2-0 to start SBC play in Trojan Arena (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20).
• Baez set a new career-high in rebounds with seven against Marshall – her previous high was six against Toledo (Dec. 18, 2024).
• For the second game (Coastal Carolina) in 2024-25 and 50th in head coach Chanda Rigby's tenure, the Trojans converted 10-plus triples. Rigby is 44-6 when her team makes double-digit triples.
• Wagner's 14 assists marked a career-high and tied her with Ashley Beverly Kelley and Kira McWaine for the second-most assists by a Trojan in a D-I single game.
• Wagner joined the Troy career record book, taking over the 10th spot for total D-I assists at 243. She's 39 from surpassing Kylie Morrissy (2005-09 – 281) for ninth.
• Dyer's 25-point, 21-rebound performance marked a Trojans' first 20-20 game since Ja'Mia Hollings had 23 points and 20 rebounds against South Alabama (Jan. 26, 2023).
• Last season, the Trojans ranked in the top two within the conference for assist/turnover ratio (1st– 1.09), rebounds (1st – 47.88), scoring (2nd – 80.9), defensive and offensive rebounds (2nd – 30.8, 17.1), rebound margin (2nd – 7.8) and assists (2nd – 15.4) – also led the nation in rebounding.
• The victory marked head coach Chanda Rigby and the Trojans' first victory over the Razorbacks, entering 0-1. It also marks the third win over an SEC opponent in Rigby's tenure – she's 3-23 overall. The last win came against Mississippi State, 73-66, on Dec. 18.
• Wagner swept the nonconference tournaments with a 2024 Cherokee Tournament All-Tournament team selection on 16 points, six rebounds and 6.5 assists.
• The Trojans became the first Sun Belt Conference team to win the Great Alaska Shootout and 41st in their first nonconference tournament of 2024-25.
• Troy ended with 28 steals on Oakwood for the most since Georgia State (20) on Jan. 7, 2022. The Trojans scored 46 points off those turnovers. The 28 steals were just four shy of Troy's D-I single-game record.
• For the first time since ULM on Feb. 1, 2024, the Trojans finished with 30-plus offensive rebounds (31) against Mississippi Valley State.
• Wagner earned the Most Outstanding Player of the Great Alaska Tournament by scoring 12.5 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
• Dyer got the Great Alaska Shootout All-Tournament team nod with 13.5 points, 10 rebounds, one block and two assists.
• 2023-24 saw the Trojans break the program record for most field goals made in a single season at 1,060 – they also broke the record for points (2,749) and field goal attempts (2,528).
• The 2024-25 roster contains zero underclassmen, with six as seniors and six as juniors.
Both programs have had opposite starts to league play, as the Trojans (9-7, 3-1 SBC) opened with a loss before rattling off three straight wins. Meanwhile, the Panthers (7-8, 1-3 SBC) have fallen by a combined margin of 17.5 in their last two. Since both teams joined the Sun Belt Conference, Troy's dominated the series at 15-6 and 7-3 in the Peach State – the overall series favors Georgia State 27-19.
Game Information
Location: Atlanta, Ga. – GSU Convocation Center
The Matchup: Troy (9-7, 3-1 SBC) vs. Georgia State (7-6, 1-3 SBC)
When: Saturday, Jan. 11 – 12 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyStats.com
Take Down the Undefeated
Entering the week, three teams remained undefeated in league play. However, after Old Dominion fell to Coastal Carolina on Wednesday, the Trojans left one team remaining (James Madison) with an 85-68 onslaught to improve to 9-0 in program history at Boone. The victory also puts head coach Chanda Rigby one win away from her 150th Sun Belt Conference victory (149-68), which has only been done twice before by Brian Boyer (Arkansas State – 193) and Joe Foley (Little Rock – 231).
Dyer's Sun Belt Player of the Year caliber season continued Thursday as she scored her third 20-plus point game (22) in the last five appearances while claiming her ninth double-double (third straight) on 16 rebounds. Her nine double-doubles reign atop the charts for the league and eighth in the country – she ranks 14th in D-I basketball for rebounds at 10.5. The junior forward has quietly climbed the ranks in blocks, sitting fifth in the SBC with 1.25 per game.
Nearly every statistical category has improved for the Trojans since starting league play. The biggest jump through the opening four games has been shooting on both sides of the ball. Since league play began, Troy's shot 42.4 percent while holding opponents to 33.8. Conversely, nonconference play has seen Troy shoot 40 percent while holding the opposition to 38. Likewise, the team's 3-point percentage has improved from 26.7 to 31.4 percent.
The absence of Shaulana Wagner from the lineup allowed Briana Peguero to continue her dominant stretch as of late with her second-straight game in double-figures (13 points). She also secured her first-ever double-double as the second active Trojan to have double-digit assists in a game, finishing with a career-high of 10. Fortuna Ngnawo also returned to form, nearing a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. Overall, the Trojans peaked with a season-high field goal percentage at 50.7 in the victory while limiting the then-best shooting team in the league to 31.6 percent shooting.
Pouncing Panthers
Georgia State's start to league play has been dismal after back-to-back double-digit losses at the hands of Louisiana (68-50) and in-state rival Georgia Southern (82-57). The losses have dropped the Panthers' shooting splits to 35 percent from the field and 25.5 percent from deep in conference play. On the defensive side, Georgia State has allowed its opponent to fire off at 40.9 percent on the floor and 36.4 percent from behind the arc.
The bright spots for the Panthers are Mahogany Matthews and Crystal Henderson. Matthews stands as one of the top shot blockers in the country, averaging 2.33 per game (35 total) for 11th – she leads the conference. Henderson is elite on both ends of the ball, demonstrating her passing ability with the third-highest assist average in the SBC at 4.1 and the most steals (37).
Peach State Numbers
• Through the opening 16 games, Troy remains the premiere team in the country for rebounding, leading the pack with 49.69 per game.
• Since both teams collided as members of the Sun Belt Conference, the Trojans are 15-6 and 7-3 in Atlanta. Georgia State holds the overall series at 27-19.
• The Trojans are 7-1 in the last eight meetings with the Panthers.
• Troy seeks its 10th victory for the 11th straight season – it's had single-digit wins just 10 times in program history.
• Dyer scored 22 points off a career-high two triples and 9-of-15 shooting to claim her 30th career game in double-figures.
• Rigby sits one conference win away from the 150-career win mark (149-68), which has only been done twice in league history. She sits third in all-time wins under Brian Boyer (Arkansas State – 193) and Joe Foley (Little Rock – 231).
• Dyer earned Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week on 18.0 points, 16.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.
• Emani Jenkins has hit multiple triples in four straight games (James Madison, Coastal Carolina, Marshall, App State).
• Dyer leads the SBC in double-doubles with nine – she also ranks 8th in the nation. No. 5 also holds the top spot in rebounds at 10.5 and ranks 14th nationally.
• Wagner leads the league in assists per game (6.2) and total assists (93) while ranking 9th and 11th in the nation, respectively.
• Guion has made at least one triple in eight of her last nine games (15 total).
• Dyer's collected three 20-plus point performances in her last five games.
• Baez has swiped multiple steals in 8-of-16 games in 2024-25, including 26 in the last 12 games.
• No. 13 has led Troy in scoring and/or assists in all 15 games in 2024-25 she's played in.
• Fortuna Ngnawo has finished with double-digit rebounds in 5-of-11 games played.
• Baez returned to double-figures for the 13th time and clinched her first 20-plus point game, setting a career-high (20) on 9-of-13 shooting.
• Troy set a new season-high field goal percentage against App State, going 34-of-67 from the field for 50.7 percent.
• Peguero secured her first career double-double at App State via points (13) and a career-high assists (10). She becomes one of two active Trojans to have double-digit assists in her career.
• Ngnawo neared a double-double in her second game back against App State, recording 11 points and nine rebounds.
• Troy dominated the battle in the paint, outscoring App State 42-26 down low.
• The Trojans remained undefeated in Boone, improving to 9-0 and 18-2 all-time.
• For the second time in a week (Coastal Carolina), the Trojans had two players end with 20-plus points via Dyer (22) and Baez (20) at App State.
• Guion currently sits tied for sixth in Troy D-I history and seventh overall for career 3-point percentage at 36.0 (45-of-125).
• Dyer and Jackson went back-to-back with 21-rebound performances to tie Sky'Lynn Holmes for the fourth-most rebounds in a single game at the Division-I level.
• Guion erupted in the scoring column in the overtime win against Coastal Carolina, setting a career-high (20) on her 10th game with 10-plus points. She followed it with her first back-to-back double-digit games with 12 against Marshall.
• Wagner became the first D-I player in Troy women's basketball history to record a triple-double on 12 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. She's one of 11 players in the country and the lone SBC player to record a triple-double in 2024-25.
• Wagner earned Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week three weeks ago with her historic triple-double, becoming the first Trojan of 2024-25 and the first since Ja'Mia Hollings on Feb. 20, 2024.
• In 10 of the last 15 games, Wagner's finished with 5-plus assists. She's collected 5-plus assists 25 times in her Troy career.
• For the fifth time under Rigby, the Trojans advance to 4-0 at home (2015-16, 2017-18, 2019-20, 2021-22) and 2-0 to start SBC play in Trojan Arena (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20).
• Baez set a new career-high in rebounds with seven against Marshall – her previous high was six against Toledo (Dec. 18, 2024).
• For the second game (Coastal Carolina) in 2024-25 and 50th in head coach Chanda Rigby's tenure, the Trojans converted 10-plus triples. Rigby is 44-6 when her team makes double-digit triples.
• Wagner's 14 assists marked a career-high and tied her with Ashley Beverly Kelley and Kira McWaine for the second-most assists by a Trojan in a D-I single game.
• Wagner joined the Troy career record book, taking over the 10th spot for total D-I assists at 243. She's 39 from surpassing Kylie Morrissy (2005-09 – 281) for ninth.
• Dyer's 25-point, 21-rebound performance marked a Trojans' first 20-20 game since Ja'Mia Hollings had 23 points and 20 rebounds against South Alabama (Jan. 26, 2023).
• Last season, the Trojans ranked in the top two within the conference for assist/turnover ratio (1st– 1.09), rebounds (1st – 47.88), scoring (2nd – 80.9), defensive and offensive rebounds (2nd – 30.8, 17.1), rebound margin (2nd – 7.8) and assists (2nd – 15.4) – also led the nation in rebounding.
• The victory marked head coach Chanda Rigby and the Trojans' first victory over the Razorbacks, entering 0-1. It also marks the third win over an SEC opponent in Rigby's tenure – she's 3-23 overall. The last win came against Mississippi State, 73-66, on Dec. 18.
• Wagner swept the nonconference tournaments with a 2024 Cherokee Tournament All-Tournament team selection on 16 points, six rebounds and 6.5 assists.
• The Trojans became the first Sun Belt Conference team to win the Great Alaska Shootout and 41st in their first nonconference tournament of 2024-25.
• Troy ended with 28 steals on Oakwood for the most since Georgia State (20) on Jan. 7, 2022. The Trojans scored 46 points off those turnovers. The 28 steals were just four shy of Troy's D-I single-game record.
• For the first time since ULM on Feb. 1, 2024, the Trojans finished with 30-plus offensive rebounds (31) against Mississippi Valley State.
• Wagner earned the Most Outstanding Player of the Great Alaska Tournament by scoring 12.5 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
• Dyer got the Great Alaska Shootout All-Tournament team nod with 13.5 points, 10 rebounds, one block and two assists.
• 2023-24 saw the Trojans break the program record for most field goals made in a single season at 1,060 – they also broke the record for points (2,749) and field goal attempts (2,528).
• The 2024-25 roster contains zero underclassmen, with six as seniors and six as juniors.
Players Mentioned
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