Troy University Athletics
Troy University
Kentucky
Troy Takes on Kentucky in First Round of NCAA Tournament
3/20/2025 12:23:00 PM | Basketball (M)
MILWAUKEE, Wis. – For the first time in eight years, the Troy men's basketball team is in the NCAA Tournament, as it takes on three-seeded Kentucky in the First Round at 6:10 p.m. on Friday night in the Fiserv Forum.
Troy (23-10), the No. 14 seed in the Midwest Region, is riding a six-game winning streak and is looking to win its first postseason game in its D-I history. No. 3 Kentucky (22-11) is making its 62nd appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the most in the country.
Game Information
The Matchup: No. 3 Kentucky vs No. 14 Troy
When: Friday, March 21 | 6:10 p.m.
Where: Milwaukee, Wis. | Fiserv Forum (15,402)
Watch: CBS | Kevin Harlan (PxP), Dan Bonner (Analyst), Stan Van Gundy (Analyst), Lauren Shehadi (Sideline Reporter)
Radio: Troy Sports Media Network | Westwood One
Troy is making its third appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its first since 2017, when it played Duke in the First Round in Greenville, S.C. The Trojans other appearance came in 2003, when they played Xavier in Nashville.
The Trojans earned the Sun Belt's automatic bid after winning the conference championship in Pensacola, Fla., thanks to a 94-81 victory over Arkansas State. Tayton Conerway, the Sun Belt Player of the Year and the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, scored 16 points in the final 10 minutes of action to fuel the Trojan comeback. He finished the game with 21 points.
Conerway is Troy's leading scorer at 14.3 points, and has scored 10-plus points in 26 games this season. Conerway is also third in the country in steals and steals per game.
In addition to Conerway, Troy will also continue to rely heavily on sophomore forward Thomas Dowd, who was named to the Sun Belt All-Tournament Team. Dowd is averaging 9.9 points and a team-best 6.8 rebounds. In the Sun Belt championship game, Dowd had 14 points and nine rebounds. He has started 32 of 33 games this season.
Experience has played a big factor in Troy's success this season, as it returned 12 players from last year's team. According to KenPom.com., Troy is 10th in the country in roster continuity, as it returned 66 percent of its minutes from last season. Head coach Scott Cross has started the same five players 27 times this season.
The Trojans were ranked No. 18 in the CollegeInsider Mid-Major Poll on Monday afternoon. It's the highest that Troy has ever been ranked in the poll, which is voted on by coaches around the country.
Scouting Kentucky
One of the most storied programs in college basketball, Kentucky has made more appearances (62) and played more games (185) than any other program in the nation in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats have claimed eight national titles and made 17 Final Fours.
Otega Oweh is Kentucky's leading scorer at 16.2 points, while Koby Brea is second at 11.5. The Wildcats have six players scoring in double-digits this season. Kentucky is fourth in the country this season in scoring offense at 85.3.
The Trojans are 0-1 all-time against Kentucky, with the only matchup coming on Nov. 20, 2017 in Lexington. Kentucky won 70-62.
Notables
• Troy drew the No. 14 seed in the Midwest Region and will play No. 3 Kentucky at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on Friday.
• It's the third NCAA Tournament appearance for the Trojans, who last danced in 2017, when it was a No. 15 seed and played against No. 2 Duke in Greensville, S.C.
• Troy earned the Sun Belt's automatic bid after winning the conference championship on Monday night in Pensacola, Fla., thanks to a 94-81 victory over Arkansas State.
• Troy defeated Arkansas State in the Sun Belt Championship game last Monday night in Pensacola, Fla.
• Tayton Conerway, who was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, scored 16 points in the final 10 minutes of action to fuel the Trojan comeback. He finished the game with 21 points.
• Troy trailed 66-58 with 10:07 left and finished the game on a 36-15 run to pick up its third win in three days.
• Myles Rigsby had 20 points in the game, while Thomas Dowd had 14 points and nine rebounds. Dowd earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
• Troy defeated James Madison 79-60 in the semifinal and Old Dominion 75-59 in the quarterfinals.
• Troy won a share of the Sun Belt Regular Season Championship and entered Pensacola as the No. 4 seed.
• The Trojans are in the midst of their fourth 20-plus win season in a row and much of that is credited to the team physical play on both offense and defense.
• Troy has the 25th scoring defense in the country (65.4 ppg) and 27th field goal percentage defense (40.3 percent).
• On defense, the Trojans are 10th in the country in steals per game (9.4) and 26th in blocks per game (4.7).
• Offensively, Troy is 11th in the country in offensive rebounds per game (13.9) and sixth in offensive rebounding percentage (KenPom).
• Troy does not have a single Division I transfer on the team. Every player has either come from the high school, community college or JUCO ranks.
• According to KenPom, Troy has the 10th most minutes continuity in the country. Troy returned 12 players from last year's team.
