Troy University Athletics
Thursday, January 16
Troy, Ala.
6 p.m.
Troy University
vs
South Alabama
Troy Welcomes In-State Rival South Alabama
1/15/2025 10:30:00 AM | Basketball (W)
TROY, Ala. – Rivalry week enters Trojan Arena on Thursday at 6 p.m. when the winners of four straight, Troy, face in-state rival South Alabama. The game will be aired on ESPN+.
The Trojans (10-7, 4-1 SBC) look to break an early five-way tie for the No. 2 seed in the Sun Belt Conference as the Jaguars (4-12, 0-5 SBC) merely search for their first league win. Troy's owned the rivalry in the last 25 meetings, sitting at 19-6. In that time, Troy's lost at home just once (Jan. 26, 2016).
Game Information
Location: Troy, Ala. – Trojan Arena
The Matchup: Troy (10-7, 4-1 SBC) vs. South Alabama (4-12, 0-5 SBC)
When: Thursday, Jan. 16 – 6 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyStats.com
Four Straight
Since their loss at the hands of undefeated James Madison, Troy's fired off for four straight victories. This includes a pair of victories last week on the road, handing App State, 85-68, and Georgia State, 80-72, a loss. In their four-game win streak, the Trojans have shot above 40 percent, scored 80-plus points, held the opposition to under 40 percent and won the rebound battle in each.
Troy went 2-0 against the Jaguars last season, including a 108-71 victory in Trojan Arena to cap off the 2023-24 regular season. Leilani Guion lit up the scoreboard with a previous career-high of 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting (three triples). Shaulana Wagner stuffed the stat sheet off the bench with six points, five assists, two rebounds and two steals.
For the first time since Kayla Robinson on Feb. 5 and Feb. 12 in 2016, a Trojan earned back-to-back Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week awards via Zay Dyer. She followed up her 18-point, 16.5-rebound, 2.5 block stat line with 20 points, 16.5 rebounds and a block over the Mountaineers and Panthers. Her four straight double-doubles pushed her to become the lone SBC player with double-digit double-doubles (10), sitting sixth in the country. Her 10.9 rebounds also rank ninth in the nation.
Head coach Chanda Rigby became the third coach ever in the Sun Belt to claim her 150th conference victory in the 80-72 win over Georgia State on Saturday – her record in the SBC is 150-68. Now, she looks to open Troy's home schedule at 5-0 for the fourth time in her tenure and 3-0 in SBC play for the third time. She brings the No. 1 team in the country for rebounds at 50.24 per game. Rigby's Trojans have led the nation at season's end in rebounding five times (2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2023-24).
Rivalry Insight
South Alabama's mustered a league-low four wins over Delta State, 63-56, New Orleans, 67-57, Faulker (79-44) and Stetson (87-79) with zero wins in league play. All five losses have come by double-figures, getting outscored 378-288. USA ranks in the top half of the SBC in three categories: offensive rebounds (fourth – 14.3), blocks (fourth – 3.8) and free throw attempts (second – 19.06).
Since league play started, South Alabama has dipped in shooting, falling to 34.4 percent from the field, 21.8 percent from deep and 63.4 percent at the line – USA sits last in the conference in each. Rachel Leggett remains the bright spot for the Jaguars on both sides of the ball. She averages 12 points on 59 percent shooting in league play with 6.8 rebounds (team-high), 1.6 assists and 2.8 steals.
Rivalry Numbers
• Over the last 25 meetings, Troy runs the in-state rivalry, sitting at 19-6. In that span, the Trojans lost at home once on Jan. 26, 2016 (11-1).
• The winner of Thursday's matchup takes the all-time series lead in Sun Belt Conference games, with both programs at 19-19.
• Leilani Guion erupted for her previous career-high of 18 on 7-of-9 shooting in the last meeting between Troy and South Alabama in Trojan Arena (March 1, 2024).
• For the fifth time under Rigby, the Trojans advanced to 4-0 at home (2015-16, 2017-18, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2024-25) and fourth 2-0 to start SBC play in Trojan Arena (2016-17, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2024-25). Rigby aims for its fourth 5-0 start at home (2017-18, 2019-20, 2020-21) and third 3-0 start to SBC play (2016-17, 2018-19).
• Rigby (150-68) secured her 150th career Sun Belt Conference victory over Georgia State. The feat has only been done twice before in league history via Brian Boyer (Arkansas State – 193) and Joe Foley (Little Rock – 231).
• Dyer earned Sun Belt Player of the Week (Jan. 7), averaging 18 points, 16.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in wins against Coastal Carolina and Marshall - she followed it with back-to-back awards (Jan. 14) on 20 points, 16.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks over App State and Georgia State.
• No. 5 became the first Trojan to go back-to-back with SBC POTW awards since Kayla Robinson (Feb. 5, Feb. 12) in 2017-18.
• Dyer leads the SBC in double-doubles with 10 – she also ranks sixth in the nation. No. 5 also holds the top spot in rebounds at 10.9 and ranks ninth nationally.
• Through the opening 17 games, Troy remains the premiere team in the country for rebounding, leading the pack with 50.24 per game.
• On their four-game win streak in league play, the Trojans have shot above 40 percent, scored 80-plus points, held the opposition to under 40 percent and won the rebound battle in each.
• Guion has made at least one triple in nine of her last 10 games (16 total).
• Brianna Jackson has rejected a shot in eight of the last nine games (13 total) to rank fourth in the SBC with 1.35 blocks per game.
• Dyer's collected three 20-plus point performances in her last six games and 10-plus points in 12 of her 17 starts.
• Dyer became the first Sun Belt player to have 10 double-doubles, securing it on 18 points and 17 rebounds – she extended her double-double game streak to four.
• Troy (80) remains undefeated when scoring 80-plus points at 8-0, 4-0 SBC.
• Ashley Baez has scored 10-plus points in 14-of-17 games on 39.9 percent shooting.
• The Trojans won the rebound battle over Georgia State 59-26 for their eighth game with over 50 rebounds. They also secured 20 offensive boards for the fourth time.
• 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 against App State.
• Baez tied her career-high in rebounds with seven against Georgia State.
• Briana Peguero is 10-of-20 from deep in the last four games, averaging 2.5 makes per game.
• Baez has swiped multiple steals in 8-of-16 games in 2024-25, including 28 in the last 13 games.
• Troy claimed its 10th victory for the 11th straight season – it's had single-digit wins just 10 times in program history.
• Wagner leads the league in assists per game (6.2) and total assists (93) while ranking 9th and 13th in the nation, respectively.
• No. 13 has led Troy in scoring and/or assists in all 15 games in 2024-25 she's played in.
• 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.
• 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 seventh in Troy D-I history and eighth overall for career 3-point percentage at 35.9 (46-of-128).
• 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.
• 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.
• In 10 of her last 15 games, Wagner's finished with 5-plus assists. She's collected 5-plus assists 25 times in her Troy career.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• The 2024-25 roster contains zero underclassmen, with six as seniors and six as juniors.
The Trojans (10-7, 4-1 SBC) look to break an early five-way tie for the No. 2 seed in the Sun Belt Conference as the Jaguars (4-12, 0-5 SBC) merely search for their first league win. Troy's owned the rivalry in the last 25 meetings, sitting at 19-6. In that time, Troy's lost at home just once (Jan. 26, 2016).
Game Information
Location: Troy, Ala. – Trojan Arena
The Matchup: Troy (10-7, 4-1 SBC) vs. South Alabama (4-12, 0-5 SBC)
When: Thursday, Jan. 16 – 6 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyStats.com
Four Straight
Since their loss at the hands of undefeated James Madison, Troy's fired off for four straight victories. This includes a pair of victories last week on the road, handing App State, 85-68, and Georgia State, 80-72, a loss. In their four-game win streak, the Trojans have shot above 40 percent, scored 80-plus points, held the opposition to under 40 percent and won the rebound battle in each.
Troy went 2-0 against the Jaguars last season, including a 108-71 victory in Trojan Arena to cap off the 2023-24 regular season. Leilani Guion lit up the scoreboard with a previous career-high of 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting (three triples). Shaulana Wagner stuffed the stat sheet off the bench with six points, five assists, two rebounds and two steals.
For the first time since Kayla Robinson on Feb. 5 and Feb. 12 in 2016, a Trojan earned back-to-back Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week awards via Zay Dyer. She followed up her 18-point, 16.5-rebound, 2.5 block stat line with 20 points, 16.5 rebounds and a block over the Mountaineers and Panthers. Her four straight double-doubles pushed her to become the lone SBC player with double-digit double-doubles (10), sitting sixth in the country. Her 10.9 rebounds also rank ninth in the nation.
Head coach Chanda Rigby became the third coach ever in the Sun Belt to claim her 150th conference victory in the 80-72 win over Georgia State on Saturday – her record in the SBC is 150-68. Now, she looks to open Troy's home schedule at 5-0 for the fourth time in her tenure and 3-0 in SBC play for the third time. She brings the No. 1 team in the country for rebounds at 50.24 per game. Rigby's Trojans have led the nation at season's end in rebounding five times (2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2023-24).
Rivalry Insight
South Alabama's mustered a league-low four wins over Delta State, 63-56, New Orleans, 67-57, Faulker (79-44) and Stetson (87-79) with zero wins in league play. All five losses have come by double-figures, getting outscored 378-288. USA ranks in the top half of the SBC in three categories: offensive rebounds (fourth – 14.3), blocks (fourth – 3.8) and free throw attempts (second – 19.06).
Since league play started, South Alabama has dipped in shooting, falling to 34.4 percent from the field, 21.8 percent from deep and 63.4 percent at the line – USA sits last in the conference in each. Rachel Leggett remains the bright spot for the Jaguars on both sides of the ball. She averages 12 points on 59 percent shooting in league play with 6.8 rebounds (team-high), 1.6 assists and 2.8 steals.
Rivalry Numbers
• Over the last 25 meetings, Troy runs the in-state rivalry, sitting at 19-6. In that span, the Trojans lost at home once on Jan. 26, 2016 (11-1).
• The winner of Thursday's matchup takes the all-time series lead in Sun Belt Conference games, with both programs at 19-19.
• Leilani Guion erupted for her previous career-high of 18 on 7-of-9 shooting in the last meeting between Troy and South Alabama in Trojan Arena (March 1, 2024).
• For the fifth time under Rigby, the Trojans advanced to 4-0 at home (2015-16, 2017-18, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2024-25) and fourth 2-0 to start SBC play in Trojan Arena (2016-17, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2024-25). Rigby aims for its fourth 5-0 start at home (2017-18, 2019-20, 2020-21) and third 3-0 start to SBC play (2016-17, 2018-19).
• Rigby (150-68) secured her 150th career Sun Belt Conference victory over Georgia State. The feat has only been done twice before in league history via Brian Boyer (Arkansas State – 193) and Joe Foley (Little Rock – 231).
• Dyer earned Sun Belt Player of the Week (Jan. 7), averaging 18 points, 16.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in wins against Coastal Carolina and Marshall - she followed it with back-to-back awards (Jan. 14) on 20 points, 16.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks over App State and Georgia State.
• No. 5 became the first Trojan to go back-to-back with SBC POTW awards since Kayla Robinson (Feb. 5, Feb. 12) in 2017-18.
• Dyer leads the SBC in double-doubles with 10 – she also ranks sixth in the nation. No. 5 also holds the top spot in rebounds at 10.9 and ranks ninth nationally.
• Through the opening 17 games, Troy remains the premiere team in the country for rebounding, leading the pack with 50.24 per game.
• On their four-game win streak in league play, the Trojans have shot above 40 percent, scored 80-plus points, held the opposition to under 40 percent and won the rebound battle in each.
• Guion has made at least one triple in nine of her last 10 games (16 total).
• Brianna Jackson has rejected a shot in eight of the last nine games (13 total) to rank fourth in the SBC with 1.35 blocks per game.
• Dyer's collected three 20-plus point performances in her last six games and 10-plus points in 12 of her 17 starts.
• Dyer became the first Sun Belt player to have 10 double-doubles, securing it on 18 points and 17 rebounds – she extended her double-double game streak to four.
• Troy (80) remains undefeated when scoring 80-plus points at 8-0, 4-0 SBC.
• Ashley Baez has scored 10-plus points in 14-of-17 games on 39.9 percent shooting.
• The Trojans won the rebound battle over Georgia State 59-26 for their eighth game with over 50 rebounds. They also secured 20 offensive boards for the fourth time.
• 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 against App State.
• Baez tied her career-high in rebounds with seven against Georgia State.
• Briana Peguero is 10-of-20 from deep in the last four games, averaging 2.5 makes per game.
• Baez has swiped multiple steals in 8-of-16 games in 2024-25, including 28 in the last 13 games.
• Troy claimed its 10th victory for the 11th straight season – it's had single-digit wins just 10 times in program history.
• Wagner leads the league in assists per game (6.2) and total assists (93) while ranking 9th and 13th in the nation, respectively.
• No. 13 has led Troy in scoring and/or assists in all 15 games in 2024-25 she's played in.
• 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.
• 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 seventh in Troy D-I history and eighth overall for career 3-point percentage at 35.9 (46-of-128).
• 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.
• 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.
• In 10 of her last 15 games, Wagner's finished with 5-plus assists. She's collected 5-plus assists 25 times in her Troy career.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• The 2024-25 roster contains zero underclassmen, with six as seniors and six as juniors.
Players Mentioned
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