Troy University Athletics
Troy University
Missouri
Women’s Basketball Continues Power Four Road Trip at Missouri
11/19/2025 12:38:00 PM | Basketball (W)
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Troy women's basketball team looks to bounce back from its first loss of the 2025-26 season on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. in Mizzou Arena as it heads into its second straight matchup against a Power Four program: Missouri.
The Trojans (3-1) head into their first of two games with an SEC foe this season as the No. 10 team in the Mid-Major Top-25, looking to gain momentum from last season when they defeated Arkansas. That victory marked the program's fourth-ever win over an SEC team as Troy sits 0-2 against Missouri (4-1) all-time.
Game Information
Location: Columbia, Mo. – Mizzou Arena
Matchup: Troy (3-1) at Missouri (4-1)
When: Thursday, November 20 – 11:30 a.m.
Watch: SEC Network +
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
Stats: troytrojans.com/livestats
Lone Blemish
After just the second 3-0 start in head coach Chanda Rigby's tenure with double-digit victories in each, the Trojans suffered the first blemish in their road opener against Kansas State. Troy stayed close through the opening 22 minutes, trailing by four, 37-33, with 7:54 left in the third after Ashley Baez hit the team's first triple and Emani Jenkins hit a jumper. But multiple runs for the Wildcats allowed them to coast to an 81-59 win over Troy.
Fortuna Ngnawo continues to shine to start 2025-26 as the fifth-leading scorer in the SBC at 15.5 points per game. She's finished in double figures through all four games, ending with 10 points against Kansas State. The senior forward also had nine rebounds and a team-high three steals. Her block numbers also sit third in the conference with eight total to average two per game and lead all Trojans.
Troy's last game against an SEC opponent came on Nov. 19, 2024, in the Cherokee Tournament, where the Trojans upset Arkansas, 77-69, to claim the bronze medal. Zay Dyer led the win with a 23-point, 18-rebound double-double, while Baez added 10 points.
Scouting Missouri
Missouri also sits with one blemish on its record at 4-1, with wins over Central Arkansas, Tulane, Arkansas State and Southern Illinois. Their lone defeat came against Kansas, 82-77. The Tigers ride under new head coach Kellie Harper, who's made 16 postseason appearances in 20 seasons as a Division-I head coach – she previously coached at Tennessee. They will look to Grace Slaughter, who leads the team with 18 points per game and seven rebounds.
Notables
• The Trojans were ranked No. 10 in this week's Mid-Major Top-25, moving up seven spots from last week.
• The Trojans meet the Tigers for the first time since Nov. 23, 2021, and the second time in program history – Troy sits 0-2 against Missouri overall.
• Thursday's matchup marks Troy's second consecutive matchup against a Power Four program. Last year, the Trojans got their fourth-ever win over an SEC program, beating Arkansas, as they sit 4-54 overall.
• Zay Dyer leads the Sun Belt in offensive rebounds (4.5), defensive rebounds (8.3) and total rebounds (12.8), ranking 20th, 20th and 5th nationally.
• For the fourth straight game, Troy forced 15-plus turnovers, with Kansas State committing 18.
• Troy shone in the rebounding battle, outworking Kansas State 55-50 with 23 offensive rebounds – Dyer led the way with seven.
• Emani Jenkins hit three triples in the final quarter, marking her 10th career game with 3-plus triples.
• With the win over Chattanooga, the Trojans start the season 3-0 for the first time since 2019-20, when they won the regular season title. It's the first time Troy's started 3-0 with double-digit wins in each in program history.
• Ashley Baez went 5-of-7 from behind the arc over Chattanooga, marking a career-high in triples.
• With her 9-point, 12-rebound double-double against Chattanooga, Zay Dyer sits sixth in career D-I total rebounds at 651 and is six points away from 1,000 career points.
• Zay Dyer claimed her second double-double against Chattanooga with 14 points and 17 rebounds – she also had two blocks.
• For the fourth straight game to open 2025-26, Fortuna Ngnawo ended the game in double-figures with 10 points.
• Before being one point shy (9) against Kansas State, Zay Dyer had scored double-figures in the previous 16 games as a Trojan.
• Fortuna Ngnawo became the first 2025-26 Sun Belt Player of the Week on Nov. 11, averaging 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, four blocks and 1.5 steals in the first two games.
• Kamesha Moore swiped away a career-high five steals in the win over Mississippi Valley State to become the third active Trojan with 5-plus steals in a game.
• Fortuna Ngnawo rejected a career-high four shots in the win over Toledo – her first game with 3-plus blocks to become the second active Trojan with such a feat. She continued it with another 4-block game against Mississippi Valley State.
• With Dyer earning Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team honors, Troy has had a first-team preseason selection in four of the last five seasons.
• Troy's 13-player roster features five returners and eight newcomers: Detavia Salter, Saniya Jackson, Shakirah Edwards, Kamesha Moore, Jasmine Timmons, Lana Koricanac, Rachel Leggett and Marianah Achol.
• For the first time since the 2021-22 season, the Trojans' coaching staff remains unchanged with head coach Chanda Rigby, associate head coach Jennifer Graf, and assistant coaches Stephanie Murphy and Grace Daniels returning.
• The five returners accounted for 55.7% of the team's points, 50.3% of rebounds, 53.9% of steals, 40.5% of blocks and 35.1% of assists in 2024-25.
• Troy reached the WNIT Championship game last season, falling to Buffalo after a historic run.
• The Trojans led the nation in rebounds per game (49.05) for the seventh consecutive year and led the Sun Belt in scoring (80.1), blocks (4.7) and assists (15.4).
