Women’s Basketball Survives Montana State Comeback to Win by Double-Figures

Monday, November 24

Troy, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

5-1,0-0Sun Belt

Montana State

4-1,0-0Big Sky

Montana St.

Troy

Women’s Basketball Survives Montana State Comeback to Win by Double-Figures

11/24/2025 9:18:00 PM | Basketball (W)

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – With an 18-point lead in the third quarter, Troy stopped a fourth-quarter comeback by Montana State on Monday night in Trojan Arena, 74-60, to improve to 5-1.

With the win, the Trojans (5-1) avenged a third loss from 2024-25 (Toledo, Mississippi Valley State) as they took down the 14^th-ranked scoring offense in the nation (87.3 points) via the Bobcats, holding them to a season-low 60.

Fortuna Ngnawo and Zay Dyer posted double-doubles in the victory, while Emani Jenkins hit four triples to score 14 points – her third straight game with three or more 3-pointers. Ngnawo finished in double-figures for the sixth straight game to open 2025-26 with a 19-point, 10-rebound performance. Meanwhile, Dyer claimed her 29^th career double-double and SBC leading third in 2025-26 with 11 points (5-of-7 shooting) and 15 rebounds – her 12^th game with 15-plus rebounds. Troy shot lights out from the field, ending the game on 59.5 percent from the floor, 61.5 percent from beyond the arc and 72.7 percent at the charity stripe.

Montana State forced 31 turnovers despite the loss, scoring 34 points off them. But 18 turnovers of its own, combined with 31.9 percent shooting, contributed to the 14-point defeat. Taylee Chirrick led the Bobcats with 21 points, six steals and nine rebounds, while Brianne Bailey added 10 points off the bench. Bailey also led the team with six turnovers.

Dominant and then Clutch
Troy dominated the opening eight minutes of the ballgame, going on a 16-5 run to hold a 16-11 advantage through 10 minutes. After Montana State struck first, Ashley Baez hit a pair at the line, and a turnover led to a Rachel Leggett fastbreak lay-in for the 4-2 lead with 7:19 on the clock.

A Montana State 3-pointer was answered by a jumper from Ngnawo and back-to-back 3-pointers from Emani Jenkins for a 12-5 advantage with 5:33 remaining. A Troy miss allowed Dyer to grab the offensive rebound and draw a foul. After a media timeout, Dyer found Ngnawo inside. The Bobcats committed a 10-second violation, leading to Ngnawo's sixth point of the quarter for a 16-5 lead with 3:36 left.

Montana State responded with five straight points to close the first quarter and opened the second with five more to cut the deficit to 18-16 with 8:25 left. A fast-break layup from Dyer swung momentum back to Troy, which went on a 15-4 run for a 33-20 lead at the 6:04 mark. Jenkins (3), Dyer (4), Saniya Jackson (2), Lana Koricanac (3), Baez (3) and Leilani Guion (2) all scored during the surge.

Buckets by Ngnawo and Dyer gave Troy its largest lead of the game at 18 with 7:29 left in the third quarter, 44-26. Troy held its double-digit lead throughout the third and the opening two minutes of the fourth before the Bobcats roared back, outscoring Troy 30-16 with a 9-0 run to make it a one-point game, 57-56, with 5:38 on the clock.

A free throw for Ngnawo shifted the momentum back to Troy, as Dyer swiped the ball from Addison Harris and Baez hit Jenkins in transition, 60-56, with 4:56 remaining. Another turnover for the Bobcats on a travel finished the six-point burst, 62-56, with a Ngnawo jumper in the paint.

Two free throws from Harris for Montana State cut the deficit back to four, 62-58, but Ngnawo took the defensive board coast-to-coast for a fastbreak lay-in, followed by a turnover by Harrison that resulted in a triple for Dyer to push the lead to nine, 67-58 – 2:37 left.

Harrison struck again with a layup, but it would be the final time Montana State got on the board. Dyer added a layup, and Baez hit a 3-pointer and two free throws to seal the 74-60 win.

Head Coach Chanda Rigby
"I'm certainly very grateful to be 5-1 and win this game tonight. I said it all along that this game was going to be one of our biggest tests. This Montana State team is dominant in steals, and it showed tonight. It was hard to weather that storm for 40 minutes. But I'm really proud, because this team wouldn't give in. We learned a lot about our team tonight. Even when we are aggravated on the court, we are still able to stay mature and take it possession by possession to get the win. I don't know many teams that would've been able to get this win. Now, we go to Las Vegas for a Thanksgiving tournament. It's quite a trip, but this team needs to silence the outside noises and stay focused, humble and hungry."

Revenge Stats
• Emani Jenkins hit 3-plus triples in her third straight game, having three in the first half – she's made 13 over the last three games.
• Lana Koricanac made her first career triple in the second quarter to mark a season-high in points (3).
• For the sixth straight game in 2025-26, Fortuna Ngnawo ended the game in double-figures (15) – the only Trojan to do so.
• Dyer moved into the No. 4 spot for Division-I career rebounds with 675, passing Ja'Mia Hollings (663).
• With the win over Montana State, Troy avenged its third loss from 2024-25 (Toledo, Mississippi Valley State) to take a 2-1 series lead.
• Troy improved its record to 5-1 for the first time since 2018-19.
• For the first time since North Dakota State (March 31, 2025), two Trojans recorded double-doubles: Dyer (11 points, 15 rebounds) and Ngnawo (19 points, 10 rebounds).