Women’s Basketball Blows Out Texas Southern to Open Resorts World Las Vegas Classic

Thursday, November 27

Las Vegas, Nev.

9:30 p.m.

Troy University

6-1,0-0Sun Belt

103

Texas Southern

3-2,0-0SWAC

Troy

103

Texas Southern

Women’s Basketball Blows Out Texas Southern to Open Resorts World Las Vegas Classic

11/28/2025 1:12:00 AM | Basketball (W)

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Troy couldn't have asked for a better start to the Resorts World Las Vegas Classic, dominating Texas Southern on Thursday night in the Resorts World Arena with a 103-74 victory.

The Trojans improved to 6-1 for their best start since 2018-19 with their second game with 100-plus points as five Trojans ended the night in double-figures: Zay Dyer (10), Fortuna Ngnawo (17), Saniya Jackson (16), Shakirah Edwards (14) and Leilani Guion (13). They did it with double-digit triples for the second time in 2025-26 (10-of-24) to score triple-figures for the 40^th time in head coach Chanda Rigby's tenure – Troy is 37-3 when scoring 100-plus points.

Ngnawo finished with double-figures in the scoring column for the sixth straight game to start 2025-26, leading the Trojans with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field and a 5-of-6 mark at the line – she also had her third game with 3-plus blocks at three. Dyer logged her second straight double-double and 30^th in her career with 10 points and 11 rebounds, adding a pair of steals and blocks. Off the bench, Jackson (16), Edwards (16) and Guion (13) also finished in double-figures, combining for seven of Troy's 10 triples.

Texas Southern also had five players finish with 10-plus points in the loss: Malaya Lesueur (13), Lauren Perry (13), Taliayah Logwood (12), Daeja Holmes (10) and Fenishka Bertho (10). The Tigers shot 34.8 percent from the field, going 10-of-35 in the first half to enter the break down 33 (65-32). They also allowed the Trojans to shoot 52.6 percent in the first three quarters ending the game at 45 percent for their sixth game above 40 percent.

Dominant From the Start
Troy trailed in the opening 45 seconds when Texas Southern opened with four straight, 4-0. Then, Emani Jenkins stole the ball from Bertho, and Ngnawo finished the fastbreak lay-in to open a 7-3 burst and take the 8-7 lead on a driving layup by Edwards with 6:50 remaining in the first.

Perry briefly retook the lead for Texas Southern on a jumper, but Troy responded with an 11-0 run, capped by back-to-back triples from Guion for a 19-9 lead with 3:37 on the clock. Guion made her third triple of the quarter with 0:25 remaining to end the first with a 28-18 lead.

After each team traded 3s early in the second, Troy unleashed a 13-2 run to extend its lead to 44-23, beginning with a Jackson layup at the 9:51 mark and ending with a Ngnawo jumper at 7:47.

The Tigers brought the margin down to 17, 44-27, with 5:22 remaining in the first half, but the Trojans would outscore the opposition 21-5 in the final five minutes to lead 65-32 at the break. In the second quarter, Troy shot 56.1 percent and made seven triples for its second 60-plus point half of the season – their first came in the first half against Missouri (61).

Troy continued its dominance in the third quarter, ballooning the advantage to 42, 76-34, with 7:44 left. The lead came on a 9-0 run that included back-to-back buckets from Ngnawo, a second-chance 3-pointer from Jenkins and a fastbreak layup by Rachel Leggett.

The Trojans coasted to victory in the final 18 minutes, never allowing Texas Southern to dip the margin below 31 as five Trojans finished in double-figures. Detavia Salter pushed Troy past the century mark with a pair of free throws with 3:05 left as the team won its first game of the Resorts World Las Vegas Classic, 103-74.

Head Coach Chanda Rigby
"It was great representing the Troy Trojans tonight in Las Vegas. We are striving to be elite, and we did that in the first half. Then, in the second half, we tried out some new defenses, and that allowed them to crawl back a little bit. Saniya did an excellent job coming off the bench and producing for us. She brought a lot of energy and started scoring, and that brought our team's energy in the right direction. We have a lot to learn from the second half. We stopped pressing in the second half because we had such a lead, and it showed. We need them to use the energy and practice they've been coached throughout a game. We want to continue this great start, and the next step is against Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday."

Up Next
Troy continues its Resorts World Las Vegas Classic Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 9:30 p.m. when it faces Florida Gulf Coast in the Resorts World Arena.

Game One Stats
• For the second game in 2025-26, the Trojans scored 60-plus points in a half. They ended with 65 points in the first half against Texas Southern on 56.1 percent shooting and seven triples.
• Fortuna Ngnawo finished in double-figures for the seventh straight game to start 2025-26, finishing with 17 points – she has scored 10-plus points in 12 of her last 14 games.
• With the win over Texas Southern, Troy improves to 2-0 in the all-time series.
• Shakirah Edwards had career-highs in points (16), field goals (5), 3-pointers (2) and free throws (4) in the win over Texas Southern.
• Troy finished with 103 points for its second game in triple-figures. It's the 40^th time the Trojans scored 100-plus points in head coach Chanda Rigby's tenure, improving to 37-3.
• Troy ended the first half with seven triples to total 10 in the game, marking the 55^th time in head coach Chanda Rigby's tenure – Troy is 49-6 when making 10-plus triples in Rigby's tenure.