Troy University Athletics
Wednesday, February 5
Harrisonburg, Va.
6 p.m.
Troy University
at
James Madison
Troy Travels to James Madison for Key Conference Showdown
2/4/2025 8:35:00 AM | Basketball (M)
TROY, Ala. – Riding a four-game winning streak, the Troy men's basketball team travels to Harrisonburg, Va., for a crucial conference matchup against East Division foe James Madison on Wednesday night in the Atlantic Union Bank Center.
Troy (15-7, 8-3 SBC) is coming off a perfect homestand and currently sits in sole possession of second place in the Sun Belt standings and are just one game behind Arkansas State for first. James Madison (14-9, 7-4 SBC) is tied for third in the standings and is coming off a win over Old Dominion on Saturday.
Game Information
The Matchup: Troy at James Madison
When: Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 | 6 p.m.
Where: Harrisonburg, Va. | Atlantic Union Bank Center (8,500)
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Media Network
Live Stats: Troystats.com
After an up-and-down start to conference play, the Trojans have hit their groove over the last two weeks and are in its best stretch of basketball this season. A key to Troy's strong play has been its ability to take care of the basketball, especially over the last two games. On Thursday against Georgia Southern, Troy committed just eight turnovers and followed that with six on Saturday against ULM. It marked the fewest turnovers in a game since the Trojans had five against Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 21, 2023.
In addition to taking care of the basketball, Troy has also done a great job this season of dishing out the basketball. On Saturday against ULM, Troy had 20 assists for just the second time this season. The Trojans are 12-1 this season when recording 15 or more assists in a game. Leading the passing game has been senior guard Tayton Conerway, whose 110 assists leads Troy and is second in the Sun Belt. He has recorded three or more assists in 20 of 22 games this season.
In addition to his passing ability, Conerway is Troy's leading scorer at 12.8 points per game. He also leads the Sun Belt and is third nationally in total steals (69) and steals per game (3.1).
As a team Troy continues to force a high number of turnovers, averaging 14.2 per game for the second-best mark in the conference. A good portion of those forced turnovers have come via steals (9.6), a category in which Troy ranks second in the SBC and 15th nationally.
Another key area of strength for the Trojans this season has been its ability to rebound, especially on the offensive glass. Troy's 13.9 offensive rebounds per game is second in the Sun Belt and 17th among DI teams. Thomas Dowd has been the Trojans top rebounder this year, pulling down 6.1 per game. Dowd also leads Troy in offensive boards with 45 on the season. In addition to his rebounding, Dowd's offensive production has also ticked up as of late, as his 8.4 points per game is third on the team.
Wednesday kicks off the Trojans biggest road trip of the year. It spans four days and will culminate with a nationally televised showdown against Arkansas State next Saturday night in Jonesboro, Ark., on ESPN2/ESPNU.
Scouting James Madison
Like Troy, JMU is also in the midst of a four-game winning streak. The Dukes are led by Mark Freeman and his 13.7 points per game. Also scoring in double-digits for JMU this season are Bryce Lindsay (12.4), Elijah Hutchins-Everett (11.3) and Xavier Brown (10.7). Freeman scored 17 points in James Madison's win over Old Dominion at home on Saturday. James Madison averages 73.1 points per game, while allowing 68.8.
Wednesday marks the third meeting all-time between the two programs, with JMU winning both previous contests. The teams last met in the 2023 Sun Belt Quarterfinals, which saw JMU defeat Troy, 75-72. The only other matchup came in Troy on Jan. 19, 2023, with JMU coming away with an 89-87 overtime win.
Notables
• Scott Cross is in his sixth season at the helm for Troy men's basketball, and his 18th as a Division I men's basketball head coach. While at Troy he has put together a 95-83 record, which includes three straight seasons of 20 or more wins. In each of those three seasons, he has also led the Trojans to 10 or more conference wins.
• Troy demolished ULM 87-50 on Saturday to close out its perfect four-game homestand. The Trojans were led by a career-high 17 points from Marcus Rigsby Jr., and led by as much as 46 in the second half.
• Thanks for four players scoring in double-figures, Troy took down Georgia Southern 81-74 on Thursday night in Trojan Arena.
• Last Monday night the Trojans defeated Southern Miss 70-61. Tayton Conerway had 17 points, while Thomas Dowd had 15 points and nine rebounds.
• Troy defeated in-state rival South Alabama last Saturday night in front of the third largest crowd in program history (5,041). It was Troy's fourth consecutive win over South Alabama at home.
• Conerway has scored in double-digits in all 11 conference games this year and has eight games of 15-plus points.
• Conerway's career-high 32 points against Arkansas State was the first time a Trojan has scored 30-plus points since 2019.
• Against ULM on Jan. 15, Conerway had the first double-double of his career with 10 points and a career-high 12 assists.
• The Trojans entered 2024-25 picked to finish third in the Sun Belt Coaches Preseason Poll, which is the highest it had been selected to finish since the start of the 2017-18 season. Troy received one first-place vote.
• Troy leads the Sun Belt rebound margin (+6.0).
• Troy is second in the conference in assists per game (15.0), offensive rebounds per game (13.9), steals per game (9.6), turnovers forced per game (14.2) and fastbreak points (12.9).
• Scott Cross has started 19 of 22 games this season with the same starting lineup (Rigsby Jr., Conerway, Rigsby, Dowd and Fields).
Troy (15-7, 8-3 SBC) is coming off a perfect homestand and currently sits in sole possession of second place in the Sun Belt standings and are just one game behind Arkansas State for first. James Madison (14-9, 7-4 SBC) is tied for third in the standings and is coming off a win over Old Dominion on Saturday.
Game Information
The Matchup: Troy at James Madison
When: Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 | 6 p.m.
Where: Harrisonburg, Va. | Atlantic Union Bank Center (8,500)
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Media Network
Live Stats: Troystats.com
After an up-and-down start to conference play, the Trojans have hit their groove over the last two weeks and are in its best stretch of basketball this season. A key to Troy's strong play has been its ability to take care of the basketball, especially over the last two games. On Thursday against Georgia Southern, Troy committed just eight turnovers and followed that with six on Saturday against ULM. It marked the fewest turnovers in a game since the Trojans had five against Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 21, 2023.
In addition to taking care of the basketball, Troy has also done a great job this season of dishing out the basketball. On Saturday against ULM, Troy had 20 assists for just the second time this season. The Trojans are 12-1 this season when recording 15 or more assists in a game. Leading the passing game has been senior guard Tayton Conerway, whose 110 assists leads Troy and is second in the Sun Belt. He has recorded three or more assists in 20 of 22 games this season.
In addition to his passing ability, Conerway is Troy's leading scorer at 12.8 points per game. He also leads the Sun Belt and is third nationally in total steals (69) and steals per game (3.1).
As a team Troy continues to force a high number of turnovers, averaging 14.2 per game for the second-best mark in the conference. A good portion of those forced turnovers have come via steals (9.6), a category in which Troy ranks second in the SBC and 15th nationally.
Another key area of strength for the Trojans this season has been its ability to rebound, especially on the offensive glass. Troy's 13.9 offensive rebounds per game is second in the Sun Belt and 17th among DI teams. Thomas Dowd has been the Trojans top rebounder this year, pulling down 6.1 per game. Dowd also leads Troy in offensive boards with 45 on the season. In addition to his rebounding, Dowd's offensive production has also ticked up as of late, as his 8.4 points per game is third on the team.
Wednesday kicks off the Trojans biggest road trip of the year. It spans four days and will culminate with a nationally televised showdown against Arkansas State next Saturday night in Jonesboro, Ark., on ESPN2/ESPNU.
Scouting James Madison
Like Troy, JMU is also in the midst of a four-game winning streak. The Dukes are led by Mark Freeman and his 13.7 points per game. Also scoring in double-digits for JMU this season are Bryce Lindsay (12.4), Elijah Hutchins-Everett (11.3) and Xavier Brown (10.7). Freeman scored 17 points in James Madison's win over Old Dominion at home on Saturday. James Madison averages 73.1 points per game, while allowing 68.8.
Wednesday marks the third meeting all-time between the two programs, with JMU winning both previous contests. The teams last met in the 2023 Sun Belt Quarterfinals, which saw JMU defeat Troy, 75-72. The only other matchup came in Troy on Jan. 19, 2023, with JMU coming away with an 89-87 overtime win.
Notables
• Scott Cross is in his sixth season at the helm for Troy men's basketball, and his 18th as a Division I men's basketball head coach. While at Troy he has put together a 95-83 record, which includes three straight seasons of 20 or more wins. In each of those three seasons, he has also led the Trojans to 10 or more conference wins.
• Troy demolished ULM 87-50 on Saturday to close out its perfect four-game homestand. The Trojans were led by a career-high 17 points from Marcus Rigsby Jr., and led by as much as 46 in the second half.
• Thanks for four players scoring in double-figures, Troy took down Georgia Southern 81-74 on Thursday night in Trojan Arena.
• Last Monday night the Trojans defeated Southern Miss 70-61. Tayton Conerway had 17 points, while Thomas Dowd had 15 points and nine rebounds.
• Troy defeated in-state rival South Alabama last Saturday night in front of the third largest crowd in program history (5,041). It was Troy's fourth consecutive win over South Alabama at home.
• Conerway has scored in double-digits in all 11 conference games this year and has eight games of 15-plus points.
• Conerway's career-high 32 points against Arkansas State was the first time a Trojan has scored 30-plus points since 2019.
• Against ULM on Jan. 15, Conerway had the first double-double of his career with 10 points and a career-high 12 assists.
• The Trojans entered 2024-25 picked to finish third in the Sun Belt Coaches Preseason Poll, which is the highest it had been selected to finish since the start of the 2017-18 season. Troy received one first-place vote.
• Troy leads the Sun Belt rebound margin (+6.0).
• Troy is second in the conference in assists per game (15.0), offensive rebounds per game (13.9), steals per game (9.6), turnovers forced per game (14.2) and fastbreak points (12.9).
• Scott Cross has started 19 of 22 games this season with the same starting lineup (Rigsby Jr., Conerway, Rigsby, Dowd and Fields).
Players Mentioned
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