Troy University Athletics
Troy University
17-9,10-4Sun Belt
Arkansas State
19-8,10-4Sun Belt
Jackson Fields Has Career Night, Troy Beats Arkansas State
2/16/2025 12:52:00 AM | Basketball (M)
JONESBORO, Ark. – Jackson Fields had the best game of his collegiate career to help Troy overcome a halftime deficit and stun Arkansas State 71-70 on national television at the First National Bank Arena on Saturday night.
Fields scored a career-high 20 points and knocked down five three pointers to help Troy (17-9, 10-4 SBC) overcome a slow offensive start and move into a four-way tie for first place in the conference standings with four games left before the Sun Belt Tournament. Arkansas State (19-8, 10-4 SBC) entered the night in sole possession of the top spot, but couldn't keep up with the Trojans down the stretch.
Troy is now the only team in the Sun Belt to win 10 or more conference games in each of the last four seasons.
The win also snapped the Red Wolves 15-game home winning streak that dates back to last season. Going into the game, Arkansas State was one of 16 teams who were undefeated at home this year.
Both teams came out of the gate very slow on offense and at the under-eight media timeout, Troy led 14-13. Arkansas State seemed to find its rhythm on both ends of the court coming out of the timeout and held a 31-22 lead with 1:58 to go in the half. With the Red Wolves on the brink of blowing open the contest, Fields scored eight points in 1:09 – including a pair of three's – to make it 34-30 deficit as the team went to the locker room.
Fields led all players with 11 points at the break, while Tayton Conerway and Jerrell Bellamy each tacked on six. Despite being down by four points, the Trojan defense played well in the first 20 minutes, holding Arkansas State to 34.4 percent from the field and 16.7 percent form three. History wasn't on Troy's side, though, as the Trojans entered the night 1-6 (1-2 SBC) when trailing at half.
Troy came out with good energy to open the final 20 minutes and trailed by just two going into the first media timeout. Less than a minute later, Myles Rigsby buried a pair of free-throws to even the score at 42-42.
With momentum swinging in Troy's favor, the Trojans held a narrow lead for the next 11 or so minutes, before Arkansas State jumped ahead with 4:55 to go after a big three pointer by Terrance Ford Jr. But like it had been doing all night, Troy answered. Fields buried his fifth 3-pointer of the night with 2:01 left in the game to put Troy ahead 63-62 and it never trailed again. Victor Valdes had four-straight free throws to put the Trojans up five.
Arkansas State wasn't going down without a fight, though, as the Red Wolves got themselves within two with under 30 seconds left to play. Marcus Rigsby Jr., made one of two free throws with 23 seconds left to make it a 70-67 Troy lead. Kobe Julien took a three with seven second left but it came up short and Conerway grabbed the rebound. Thomas Dowd got fouled with two seconds left and made his second free-throw attempt to put the Trojans up by four.
Ford Jr., buried a three-pointer for the Red Wolves as time expired but it didn't matter, as Troy came away with the one-point win.
In addition to his 20 points, Fields grabbed eight boards, snagged three steals and recorded a huge block in crunch time. It's one of the best individual performances for the Trojans this season. Also coming up big was Conerway who had 13 points, four assists, four rebounds and two steals. Dowd put together another double-digit performance, as he had 13 points and four rebounds.
The Trojans gave it away 11 times while forcing the Red Wolves into 14 turnovers. Prior to Saturday's game, Arkansas State was second in the conference and 51st in the country in fewest turnovers per game at 10.5.
Troy's defense not only forced Arkansas State into mistakes, but it limited them to just 38.5 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from distance. Rigsby Jr., and Bellamy each recorded two blocks. The Trojans are 10-0 this season when holding its opponents to under 40 percent shooting.
It wasn't the cleanest offensive showing for the Trojans either, as they shot 38.6 percent from the field and 28.6 from 3-point range. However, Troy made seven more free-throws and scored 19 points off Arkansas State turnovers. The Red Wolves scored just nine points off Trojan turnovers.
Ford Jr., led Arkansas State with 18 points, while Taryn Todd and Izaiyah Nelson had 14.
Quotable – head coach Scott Cross
"First, let me give all the glory to the good Lord. We don't win this one without him. What a beautiful victory it was. Jackson Fields was amazing. The guy has been in the gym, working on his shot. He hadn't had a lot of success from the 3-point line, but you can see his shot and it's beautiful. We got it at the right time. Myles Rigsby's defense was phenomenal guarding Taryn Todd. He's such a tough matchup. For a guy as good as Myles to embrace and really want to guard the best player, that's different. That's special. That's what makes Myles, Myles. We feed off that. When he's like that, our defense is so freaking good."
Up Next
Troy returns to Trojan Arena for its final two home games of the regular season, as it welcomes Louisiana on Thursday night and Coastal Carolina on Saturday for Senior Day. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the Troy Sports Media Network.
Notables
• Troy moves to 18-14 all-time against Arkansas State and snapped its three-game losing streak to the Red Wolves.
• Troy handed Arkansas State its first home loss of the season and snapped its 15-home game winning streak. Entering Saturday, the Red Wolves were one of 16 undefeated teams at home this year.
• Jackson Fields had a career-high 20 points. He also buried a career-high five threes. Troy is 6-2 this year when Fields scores in double-digits.
• Tayton Conerway and Thomas Dowd each had 13 points.
• Conerway had four assists on the night, and has now recorded three or more assists in 23 of 26 games this year.
• Troy forced Arkansas State into 14 turnovers, while just committing 11 of its own. The Trojans outscored the Red Wolves 18-9 in points off turnovers.
• Troy held Arkansas State to 38.5 percent shooting. This season the Trojans are 10-0 when limiting their opponents to under 40 percent shooting.
• Troy is now in a four-way tie for first place in the Sun Belt standings with four games left to play.
• Troy is the only team in the Sun Belt to win 10 or more conference games in each of the last four seasons.
• Saturday was Troy's first win on national television since it defeated Florida State on the ACC Network on Nov. 14, 2022.
