Troy University Athletics
Troy University
Pensacola Christian
Troy Hosts Pensacola Christian in Home Opener
11/10/2025 12:23:00 PM | Basketball (M)
TROY, Ala. – Troy opens its 2025-26 home schedule on Tuesday night against Pensacola Christian, as the Trojans return to Trojan Arena after earning two hard-fought road wins over Kent State and Furman last week.
Cooper Campbell led the way for Troy (2-0) in the opening week, averaging 20 points, 5.5 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.0 steals. Thomas Dowd was also key, averaging 15 points and 9.5 rebounds.
Pensacola Christian, an NCCAA member institution, enters the game with a 3-3 record. Tuesday night's contest will serve as an exhibition for the Eagles.
Tuesday night's game will be Troy's only home contest in the month of November. The Trojans will embark on a six-game road trip highlighted by four matchups in the state of California before returning home to face West Georgia on Dec. 1.
Game Information
Location: Troy, Ala. - Trojan Arena (5,200)
The Matchup: Troy vs. Pensacola Christian
When: Tuesday, November 11 – 6 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Media Network
Promotions: Military Appreciation Game, Troy Athletics SAAC Food Drive
Another Thriller
Troy defeated Furman on Friday night, 64-61 to open the season 2-0. Similar to the Kent State game, the Trojans opened up a double-digit first half lead that would disappear down the stretch. This time, however, Troy never trailed and used clutch baskets from Cooper Campbell and Victor Valdes to close the game.
Campbell finished the game with 21 points and three steals, capping off an impressive opening week of the season in which the sophomore guard averaged 20.0 points, 5.5 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.0 steals. With the win, Troy has won its first two road games of the season for the first time since 2022-23.
Playing from Ahead
Through the first two games of the season, Troy has led for all but three minutes of game time. The Trojans never trailed on Friday at Furman and have built double-digit leads within the opening seven minutes of both contests.
Sweet Home Alabama
Under Scott Cross, Troy is 60-25 at home, with the team 105-80 overall in Trojan Arena. The Trojans finished the 2024-25 season with an 11-4 record at home and are 26-6 in Trojan Arena since the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
Scouting Pensacola Christian
Pensacola Christian enters Tuesday's game with a 3-3 record, most recently picking up a victory over Arlington Baptist, 91-81. Guard Kaiden Pack leads the Eagles, averaging 23.0 points and 7.0 rebounds. Tuesday's game will be an exhibition for Pensacola Christian, an NCCAA member school.
Up Next
Troy begins its longest road stretch of the season on Thursday, heading west to face Loyola Marymount on Friday, Nov. 14, at 9 p.m. CT. The Trojans will also take on CSUN, San Diego State, and USC before traveling to Fort Myers for two games at the Coconut Hoops event from Nov. 24–26. Troy will face Toledo on the 24th and either Belmont or Saint Francis on the 26th.
Notables
- Scott Cross is in his seventh season at the helm of the Trojans, amassing a 105-87 record during his time at Troy. Over the last four seasons, Troy has won 20-plus games each year and finished 23-11 last season.
- Troy opens its home schedule on Monday against Pensacola Christian after winning its first two games of the season on the road. The Trojans defeated Furman on Friday evening in Greenville, S.C. The Trojans led by as much as 15, but relied on clutch performances from Cooper Campbell (21 pts, 3 stls) and Victor Valdes (11 pts) to pull away late, winning 64-61.
- Cooper Campbell has impressed in the first two games of the season. The sophomore guard averaged 20 points, 5.5 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.0 steals in the opening week of the year. Campbell, who is shooting 8-14 from beyond the arc, has been clutch down the stretch of both games. After scoring the game-tying layup and scoring seven in the extra period against Kent State, Campbell scored the go-ahead basket at Furman, a contested layup off his third steal of the night.
- Troy has faced one of the most difficult opening stretches in the Sun Belt this season. In their respective preseason conference coaches' polls, Kent State (MAC) was picked to finish third, while Furman (SoCon) was tabbed second. According to KenPom.com, Troy's first two games rank as the fifth-most difficult among Sun Belt teams - the highest ranking of any team without a loss.
- Troy is 5-1 in home openers under head coach Scott Cross, having won each of the last five. The Trojans have also won nine of their last ten home openers overall.
- The Trojans debuted a new look last week, as the team returns just under 40 percent of its scoring from last year's Sun Belt Championship team. Leading the returning group is junior forward Thomas Dowd, who was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team in October. Dowd started all but one game last season and will be called upon to take on an even larger role following the departures of the Trojans' two leading scorers from the 2024-25 squad — Tayton Conerway and Myles Rigsby.
