Troy University Athletics
Troy University
5-5,0-0Sun Belt
West Georgia
5-3,0-0ASUN
Trojans Outlasted by West Georgia in Double Overtime
12/1/2025 9:54:00 PM | Basketball (M)
TROY, Ala. – For the third time in under two weeks, Troy men's basketball played at least 50 minutes, falling in double overtime to West Georgia at Trojan Arena on Monday night.
The contest marked the third game of at least double overtime in its last five outings for Troy (5-5), after the Trojans defeated San Diego State in double overtime (Nov. 18) and fell to USC in three overtime periods (Nov. 20).
Troy was led by a career-high 29 points from Victor Valdes, while Thomas Dowd picked up his fifth-consecutive double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
West Georgia (5-3) was paced by a 26-point performance from Chas Lewless. Lewless later hit the game-winning three-pointer with 27 seconds remaining in double overtime.
Troy struggled from the field to open the game, shooting just 36.4 percent (4-11) within the first nine minutes. The Trojans were 1-for-7 from deep midway through the first half, with West Georgia holding an 18-10 lead.
The Troy defense buckled up to close the half, however, as the Wolves were held scoreless for a three-minute, 27 second stretch, allowing the Trojans to cut into the lead.
West Georgia shot 0-7 from three in the opening period, and 14 first-half points – including a three on the final possession – allowed Troy to hold a 28-27 halftime advantage.
A quick four-point spurt from West Georgia forced a quick timeout from Scott Cross. Following the timeout, Troy made its next seven shot attempts from the field, jumping out to a 50-41 lead with an emphatic alley-oop dunk by Theo Seng.
The lead ballooned to as much as 12, but West Georgia found a response. A Josh Smith three tied the game at 54 with just under seven minutes to play.
The two sides went back-and-forth from there, with the second half featuring eight ties. Troy held for the final possession of a tie game in regulation, but a missed second-chance layup from Theo Seng sent the game to overtime.
In the first overtime period, Troy jumped out to a four-point lead within the first two minutes. The Wolves responded yet again, however, forcing two turnovers and squaring the game level once again.
In the final seconds of overtime, this time, it was Troy needing a bucket. Down three, Thomas Dowd connected on a deep three-pointer with just one second remaining to send Troy to its third double-overtime period in the past 13 days.
The teams scored with ease in the second overtime, as a combined 30 points were scored. The frantic pace meant nine ties and eight lead changes over the five minutes. With the score tied at 86 with just over a minute to play, Lewless connected on a three to give the Wolves the lead. On the other end, Valdes responded with a three of his own for Troy.
Lewless did him one better, however, sinking another shot from long range. He would ice the game from the free throw line on the following possession, giving West Georgia the 93-89 double overtime win.
Quotable – Head Coach Scott Cross
"[West Georgia] had 17 more shot attempts than us. If you get 17 more shot attempts, it's hard to lose a basketball game. That came through turnovers and had three more offensive rebounds than us. That's the difference in the game right there. We had an opportunity to win the game, and it's disappointing. We're going to have to get better, and we're going to have to do it in the practice gym."
Notables
- Troy has now played in four overtime games, and eight total overtime periods in its first ten games of the season. No other team in the country had played more than two overtime games entering the day.
- Troy's Division I record for most overtime games played in a season is six, reached in both the 2010-11 and 2012-13 seasons.
- Troy's 62.1 percent (18-29) mark from the free throw line was its worst showing since it shot 52.1 percent (5-9) against Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament last season.
- Thomas Dowd continued his incredible start to the season with a 20-point, 14-rebound performance. His six double-doubles are tied for second in the country, trailing only Kent State's Delrocco Gillespie, who has eight.
- Victor Valdes set a career-high with 29 points. His 13 made free throws were also a career-best.
- Theo Seng's nine rebounds set a career high.
- Troy is now 13-9 all-time against West Georgia.
Up Next
Troy will conclude its two-game homestand on Saturday against Division III opponent LaGrange. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m., with the game streaming on ESPN+.
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