Women’s Basketball Opens 2026 Against Louisiana

Thursday, January 1

Lafayette, La.

4 p.m.

Troy University

Louisiana

Women’s Basketball Opens 2026 Against Louisiana

12/31/2025 10:05:00 AM | Basketball (W)

Watch Live Listen Live Live Stats Game Notes (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – Fresh off a 10-day hiatus, the Troy women's basketball program kicks off the new year with a trip to the Cajundome on Thursday, Jan. 1, at 4 p.m., for a matchup with Louisiana.

The Trojans closed 2025 against No. 24 Alabama to continue their best start in Division-I history at 10-2. Troy even opened league play with its first 1-0 start since 2021-22, with hopes of starting 2026 2-0 for the first time since 2019-20.

Game Information
Location: Lafayette, La. – Cajundome
Matchup: Troy (10-2, 1-0 SBC) vs. Louisiana (1-11, 0-2 SBC)
When: Thursday, Jan. 1 – 4 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
Stats: troytrojans.com/livestats

Historic 2025
Despite closing 2025 with a loss at the hands of No. 24 Alabama, the Trojans produced a historic 2025 start to the season. They claimed the best start in Division-I history at 10-2, including a 1-0 start to league play with a win over Old Dominion. It was the first 1-0 start in SBC play since 2021-22. Troy also claimed its fifth-ever win over an SEC program, defeating Missouri 100-82, and won the third in-season tournament in the last three years, going 2-0 at the Resorts World Las Vegas Classic.

Troy enters the matchup as the league leader in assists (16.2), free throw attempts (22.1), free throws made (15.5), rebound margin (plus-10.3), defensive rebounds (31.1), offensive rebounds (17), total rebounds (48.1), scoring margin (plus-18.3), scoring (85.3) and winning percentage (83.3). Zay Dyer also leads the conference in all rebound stats, ranking 12^th(defensive rebounds – 7.8) seventh (offensive rebounds – 4.6) and second (total rebounds – 12.3) in the nation, respectively. She also has an SBC-high six double-doubles.

After a loss in the Cajundome in 2025, the Trojans sit 6-10 on the road against Louisiana, holding the overall series 21-14. Troy will look to Fortuna Ngnawo for its third win in the Cajundome over the last four seasons, as she leads the team with 15.4 points per game on the third-best field goal percentage in the conference at 47.9. The senior forward also has four double-doubles in the last five games after a 15-point, 11-rebound showing at No. 24 Alabama.

Scouting Louisiana
Louisiana claimed its first win of 2025-26 on Monday, 97-56, against Dillard after starting 0-11. The Ragin' Cajuns also started 0-2 in league play with losses to Texas State and Southern Miss. Through 12 games, Louisiana averages 60.2 points on 35.7 percent shooting – both rank last in the Sun Belt. Coming off the bench in 11 of her 12 games played, freshman Amijah Price leads Louisiana with 12.2 points per game.

Notables
• Troy eyes its first 2-0 start to league play since 2019-20 when the team started 3-0 in league play.
• Troy sits 21-14 in the all-time series against Louisiana, with a 6-10 record in the Cajundome.
• The last time these teams met, Zay Dyer posted an 11-point, 19-rebound double-double in the Cajundome.
• Fortuna Ngnawo sits fourth in the conference with 15.4 points per game on the third-highest field goal percentage at 47.9.
• Troy enters the matchup against Louisiana as the conference leader in assists (16.2), free throw attempts (22.1), free throws made (15.5), rebound margin (plus-10.3), defensive rebounds (31.1), offensive rebounds (17), total rebounds (48.1), scoring margin (plus-18.3), scoring (85.3) and winning percentage (83.3).
• Troy is 6-8 in SBC openers under head coach Chanda Rigby after the win over Old Dominion and started 1-0 league for the first time since 2021-22, when the team won the regular season title.
• The Trojans are off to their best start in Division I history (10-2) and best overall since 1991-92 (10-1).
• The Trojans rank fourth in the Mid-Major polls and 67^th in the NCAA Net Rankings.
• Troy enters Thursday's matchup as the third-highest ranked team in total rebounds for D-I at 48.1.
• Zay Dyer leads the Sun Belt in defensive rebounds (7.8), offensive rebounds (4.6) and total rebounds (12.3), ranking 12^th, seventh and second nationally, respectively.
• With her 39 3-pointers (third in SBC), Emani Jenkins averages 3.3 per game to sit second in the SBC. She ranks 15^th and eighth in the nation, respectively.
• Ngnawo is 12-of-12 with games in double-figures after 15 points against No. 24 Alabama. She's scored 10-plus points in her last 15 games, dating back to North Dakota State on March 31, 2025.
• Saniya Jackson comes off her first career start, ending with four points, two rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes.
• Emani Jenkins ranks No. 1 in career D-I 3-point percentage and second all-time at 39.0. She also currently holds the third-best single-season shooting percentage from deep at 44.8.
• Emani Jenkins has hit 34 threes in her last 10 games to average 3.4 per game. She's earned three or more 3-pointers in seven games in 2025-26.
• Jenkins' 10 threes against Oakwood ties four players for the most in a single game in 2025-26.
• Zay Dyer has scored in double-figures in 21 of her last 25 games.
• Emani Jenkins hit four threes in the first quarter against Oakwood for her sixth game with 3-plus 3-pointers. She's hit a triple in all but one game in 2025-26. Jenkins ended with 10 to break the all-time single-game record at Troy.
• Troy broke its single-game records for points (132), 3-pointers (20) and assists (36) in the win over Oakwood.
• Emani Jenkins converted all 10 of her baskets from deep for 31 points against Oakwood. She's the first Trojan with 30-plus points since Ja'Mia Hollings against FIU on March 25, 2024.
• Troy completed a 23-point comeback against Longwood for its largest since Alaska-Anchorage (20) on Nov. 22, 2024.
• For the third straight season, the Trojans were crowned champions of an in-season tournament: Austin Peay Christmas Classic (2023), Great Alaska Shootout (2024) and Resorts World Las Vegas Classic (2025).
• Zay Dyer joined the 1,000-point club against Missouri with 7:01 left in the second quarter on a jumper.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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) in 2024-25.