Troy University Athletics
Monday, March 31
Fargo, N.D.
7 p.m.
Troy University
at
North Dakota State
Troy Heads to North Dakota State for Great 8 Meeting
3/30/2025 9:52:00 AM | Basketball (W)
TROY, Ala. – The Troy women's basketball program is primed for another rematch in the WNIT Great 8 round when it matches up with North Dakota State on Monday, March 31 at 7 p.m. at the Nodak Insurance Basketball Performance Center.
The Trojans (22-13) survived an overtime thriller to advance to their second straight Great 8 in the WNIT, where they face the Bisons (21-11). The programs met once before in 2024-25, where the Trojans hoisted the 41st Great Alaska Shootout trophy on Nov. 24 with an 86-69 victory.
Game Information
Location: Fargo, N.D. – Nodak Insurance Basketball Performance Center
The Matchup: Troy (22-13, 13-5 SBC) vs. North Dakota State (21-11, 11-5 Summit)
When: Monday, March 24 – 7 p.m.
Watch: WDAY
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyStats.com
One of the Greats
The Trojans survived and advanced into the Great 8 with a pair of free throws from Ashley Baez with two-tenths of a second remaining in overtime against North Texas. Troy trailed by six, 86-80, with 2:06 left in overtime before scoring the final eight points of the game via Briana Peguero (6) and Baez (2). With 0.2 reading on the clock, Baez was fouled on a rebound and hit both at the line to advance.
En route to the victory, Zay Dyer extended her lead over the Sun Belt Conference with her 17th double-double on 23 points and 13 rebounds. On her fifth rebound, Dyer overtook Felmas Koranga for the most rebounds in a Troy D-I single season (363). She also increased her average rebounds to 10.4, which ranks 17th in the nation and first for the league.
Five Trojans average double-figures through the first two games of the WNIT. Dyer leads the pack with 20.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and two steals on 54.5 percent shooting. Shaulana Wagner followed her with 14 points, nine assists and 4.5 rebounds. The senior guard has also shot 55.6 percent from the field, 83.3 from deep and 60 at the line. Brianna Jackson (12.5), Fortuna Ngnawo (11.5) and Briana Peguero (11) also sit in double-figures.
Troy and North Dakota State have met once before on Nov. 24 in Anchorage, Alaska for the 41st Great Alaska Shootout Championship game. Heading out of the break, the Trojans were down 40-39, before outscoring the Bisons 30-9 in the third quarter to hoist the title, 86-69. Emma Imevbore impressed in the title appearance with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
How Did We Meet?
North Dakota State fell in the first round of the Summit League Tournament, 68-58, to Kansas City before receiving a WNIT bid. From there, the Bisons have conquered New Mexico State, 68-65, and Washington State, 59-51, to advance into the Great 8. The Super 16 victory saw North Dakota State triumph in the final 10 minutes, outscoring the opposition 21-13 on 7-of-15 shooting from the field and 6-of-7 from the line.
The Bisons hold the Summit's second leading individual in shot blocking, Avery Koenen, who collected 35 blocks for 1.1 per game. They also have Avery Koenen as their leading scorer with 14.2 points on 52.4 percent shooting in the field. Koenen ranked fourth in the Summitt League for field goal percentage (52.4), while also seated fourth in rebounds with 7.7.
WNIT Numbers
• The last time these teams met, Troy won the 41st Great Alaska Shootout Championship, 86-69. In the game, Troy trailed at the half but outscored the Bisons 30-9 in the third quarter.
• Five Trojans average double-figures in the WNIT run via Dyer (20.5), Wagner (14.0), Jackson (12.5), Ngnawo (11.5) and Baez (11).
• Dyer has averaged 20.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in the WNIT run, shooting 54.5 percent from the field.
• Jenkins claimed her 10th career game in double-figures with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting.
• In last season's WNIT run, Guion averaged six points with four makes from deep while Wagner averaged 3.8 points, six assists and 4.5 rebounds.
• The Trojans saw their first postseason victory in round two of the 2024 WNIT on a 92-62 victory over FIU.
• Troy is 5-3 all-time in the WNIT with three wins last season. In Trojan Arena, Troy sits at 4-3.
• Dyer earned All-Sun Belt First Team with a league-leading 10.5 rebounds and 14 double-doubles – she became the ninth player in head coach Chanda Rigby's tenure to earn first team. The junior forward also ranked in the top 10 for the SBC in blocks (0.94), field goal percentage (44.5) and total points (417).
• With the victory over Texas State, head coach Chanda Rigby scored her 250th career victory at Troy – the second coach in program history with 250-plus wins.
• Dyer leads the SBC in double-doubles with 17 – she also ranks 15th in the nation. No. 5 also holds the top spot in rebounds at 10.4 and ranks 17th nationally.
• Single-Season Records to Watch: Emani Jenkins – total triples (seventh in D-I, ninth – 60) | Briana Peguero – free throw percentage (third in D-I and overall – 87.2) | Zay Dyer – total rebounds (third overall, first in D-I – 363), average rebounds (tied for fifth in D-I – 10.4), field goals made (tied for seventh in D-I – 204) | Shaulana Wagner – total assists (third in D-I, fifth overall – 181), average assists (third in D-I, fifth overall – 6.7) | Brianna Jackson – total blocks (sixth overall and D-I – 60)
• Career Records to Watch: Leilani Guion – 3-point percentage (eighth in D-I, ninth overall - .356) | Zay Dyer – average rebounds (seventh in D-I– 8.1) | Shaulana Wagner – average assists (first in D-I, second overall – 5.7), total assists (tied for eighth in D-I – 331)
• Wagner has led the Trojans in either scoring or assists in all 27 games played.
• Jackson rejected eight shots over North Texas to tie for the second most blocks in a single game.
• Head coach Chanda Rigby (158-72) secured her 150th career Sun Belt Conference victory over Georgia State. The feat has only been done twice before in league history via Brian Boyer (Arkansas State – 193) and Joe Foley (Little Rock – 231).
• Jenkins has hit multiple 3-pointers in 16 of her last 23 games (47 total), including seven games with three-plus triples.
• Ashley Baez has finished with double-digits in 21-of-35 games and swiped multiple steals in 17-of-35.
• In 22 of her last 27 games, Wagner's finished with 5-plus assists. She's collected 5-plus assists 37 times in her Troy career.
• Dyer scored 10-plus points in 27 of her 34 starts.
• Guion has made at least one triple in 19 of her last 28 games (28 total).
• Jackson has rejected a shot in 21 of the last 27 games (53 total) to rank second in the SBC with 1.80 blocks per game – Jackson ranks second in the league in total blocks at 63.
• In seven of her eight games where Jackson had double-digit rebounds, she claimed a double-double.
• With the victory over Old Dominion, Rigby has now defeated every current Sun Belt opponent.
• Through 35 games, Troy remains the premiere team in the country for rebounding, leading the pack with 49.4 per game.
• Troy leads the league in assists (15.3) rebound margin (plus-11.5), defensive rebounds (33.2), total rebounds (49.4) and scoring offense (79.0) – it ranks 17th in the country for scoring.
• Morris erupted in 27 minutes off the bench with 16 points on 5-of-5 from the field against ULM to become the first player since La'Tia Fils-Aime' (7-of-7 – Thomas) on Nov. 21, 2016, to shoot 100 percent (min. five shots).
• Dyer earned Sun Belt Player of the Week (Jan. 7), averaging 18 points, 16.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in wins against Coastal Carolina and Marshall - she followed it with back-to-back awards (Jan. 14) on 20 points, 16.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks over App State and Georgia State.
• No. 5 became the first Trojan to go back-to-back with SBC POTW awards since Kayla Robinson (Feb. 5, Feb. 12) in 2017-18.
• Wagner became the first D-I player in Troy women's basketball history to record a triple-double on 12 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.
• The 2024-25 roster contains zero underclassmen, with six as seniors and six as juniors.
The Trojans (22-13) survived an overtime thriller to advance to their second straight Great 8 in the WNIT, where they face the Bisons (21-11). The programs met once before in 2024-25, where the Trojans hoisted the 41st Great Alaska Shootout trophy on Nov. 24 with an 86-69 victory.
Game Information
Location: Fargo, N.D. – Nodak Insurance Basketball Performance Center
The Matchup: Troy (22-13, 13-5 SBC) vs. North Dakota State (21-11, 11-5 Summit)
When: Monday, March 24 – 7 p.m.
Watch: WDAY
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyStats.com
One of the Greats
The Trojans survived and advanced into the Great 8 with a pair of free throws from Ashley Baez with two-tenths of a second remaining in overtime against North Texas. Troy trailed by six, 86-80, with 2:06 left in overtime before scoring the final eight points of the game via Briana Peguero (6) and Baez (2). With 0.2 reading on the clock, Baez was fouled on a rebound and hit both at the line to advance.
En route to the victory, Zay Dyer extended her lead over the Sun Belt Conference with her 17th double-double on 23 points and 13 rebounds. On her fifth rebound, Dyer overtook Felmas Koranga for the most rebounds in a Troy D-I single season (363). She also increased her average rebounds to 10.4, which ranks 17th in the nation and first for the league.
Five Trojans average double-figures through the first two games of the WNIT. Dyer leads the pack with 20.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and two steals on 54.5 percent shooting. Shaulana Wagner followed her with 14 points, nine assists and 4.5 rebounds. The senior guard has also shot 55.6 percent from the field, 83.3 from deep and 60 at the line. Brianna Jackson (12.5), Fortuna Ngnawo (11.5) and Briana Peguero (11) also sit in double-figures.
Troy and North Dakota State have met once before on Nov. 24 in Anchorage, Alaska for the 41st Great Alaska Shootout Championship game. Heading out of the break, the Trojans were down 40-39, before outscoring the Bisons 30-9 in the third quarter to hoist the title, 86-69. Emma Imevbore impressed in the title appearance with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
How Did We Meet?
North Dakota State fell in the first round of the Summit League Tournament, 68-58, to Kansas City before receiving a WNIT bid. From there, the Bisons have conquered New Mexico State, 68-65, and Washington State, 59-51, to advance into the Great 8. The Super 16 victory saw North Dakota State triumph in the final 10 minutes, outscoring the opposition 21-13 on 7-of-15 shooting from the field and 6-of-7 from the line.
The Bisons hold the Summit's second leading individual in shot blocking, Avery Koenen, who collected 35 blocks for 1.1 per game. They also have Avery Koenen as their leading scorer with 14.2 points on 52.4 percent shooting in the field. Koenen ranked fourth in the Summitt League for field goal percentage (52.4), while also seated fourth in rebounds with 7.7.
WNIT Numbers
• The last time these teams met, Troy won the 41st Great Alaska Shootout Championship, 86-69. In the game, Troy trailed at the half but outscored the Bisons 30-9 in the third quarter.
• Five Trojans average double-figures in the WNIT run via Dyer (20.5), Wagner (14.0), Jackson (12.5), Ngnawo (11.5) and Baez (11).
• Dyer has averaged 20.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in the WNIT run, shooting 54.5 percent from the field.
• Jenkins claimed her 10th career game in double-figures with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting.
• In last season's WNIT run, Guion averaged six points with four makes from deep while Wagner averaged 3.8 points, six assists and 4.5 rebounds.
• The Trojans saw their first postseason victory in round two of the 2024 WNIT on a 92-62 victory over FIU.
• Troy is 5-3 all-time in the WNIT with three wins last season. In Trojan Arena, Troy sits at 4-3.
• Dyer earned All-Sun Belt First Team with a league-leading 10.5 rebounds and 14 double-doubles – she became the ninth player in head coach Chanda Rigby's tenure to earn first team. The junior forward also ranked in the top 10 for the SBC in blocks (0.94), field goal percentage (44.5) and total points (417).
• With the victory over Texas State, head coach Chanda Rigby scored her 250th career victory at Troy – the second coach in program history with 250-plus wins.
• Dyer leads the SBC in double-doubles with 17 – she also ranks 15th in the nation. No. 5 also holds the top spot in rebounds at 10.4 and ranks 17th nationally.
• Single-Season Records to Watch: Emani Jenkins – total triples (seventh in D-I, ninth – 60) | Briana Peguero – free throw percentage (third in D-I and overall – 87.2) | Zay Dyer – total rebounds (third overall, first in D-I – 363), average rebounds (tied for fifth in D-I – 10.4), field goals made (tied for seventh in D-I – 204) | Shaulana Wagner – total assists (third in D-I, fifth overall – 181), average assists (third in D-I, fifth overall – 6.7) | Brianna Jackson – total blocks (sixth overall and D-I – 60)
• Career Records to Watch: Leilani Guion – 3-point percentage (eighth in D-I, ninth overall - .356) | Zay Dyer – average rebounds (seventh in D-I– 8.1) | Shaulana Wagner – average assists (first in D-I, second overall – 5.7), total assists (tied for eighth in D-I – 331)
• Wagner has led the Trojans in either scoring or assists in all 27 games played.
• Jackson rejected eight shots over North Texas to tie for the second most blocks in a single game.
• Head coach Chanda Rigby (158-72) secured her 150th career Sun Belt Conference victory over Georgia State. The feat has only been done twice before in league history via Brian Boyer (Arkansas State – 193) and Joe Foley (Little Rock – 231).
• Jenkins has hit multiple 3-pointers in 16 of her last 23 games (47 total), including seven games with three-plus triples.
• Ashley Baez has finished with double-digits in 21-of-35 games and swiped multiple steals in 17-of-35.
• In 22 of her last 27 games, Wagner's finished with 5-plus assists. She's collected 5-plus assists 37 times in her Troy career.
• Dyer scored 10-plus points in 27 of her 34 starts.
• Guion has made at least one triple in 19 of her last 28 games (28 total).
• Jackson has rejected a shot in 21 of the last 27 games (53 total) to rank second in the SBC with 1.80 blocks per game – Jackson ranks second in the league in total blocks at 63.
• In seven of her eight games where Jackson had double-digit rebounds, she claimed a double-double.
• With the victory over Old Dominion, Rigby has now defeated every current Sun Belt opponent.
• Through 35 games, Troy remains the premiere team in the country for rebounding, leading the pack with 49.4 per game.
• Troy leads the league in assists (15.3) rebound margin (plus-11.5), defensive rebounds (33.2), total rebounds (49.4) and scoring offense (79.0) – it ranks 17th in the country for scoring.
• Morris erupted in 27 minutes off the bench with 16 points on 5-of-5 from the field against ULM to become the first player since La'Tia Fils-Aime' (7-of-7 – Thomas) on Nov. 21, 2016, to shoot 100 percent (min. five shots).
• Dyer earned Sun Belt Player of the Week (Jan. 7), averaging 18 points, 16.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in wins against Coastal Carolina and Marshall - she followed it with back-to-back awards (Jan. 14) on 20 points, 16.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks over App State and Georgia State.
• No. 5 became the first Trojan to go back-to-back with SBC POTW awards since Kayla Robinson (Feb. 5, Feb. 12) in 2017-18.
• Wagner became the first D-I player in Troy women's basketball history to record a triple-double on 12 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.
• The 2024-25 roster contains zero underclassmen, with six as seniors and six as juniors.
Players Mentioned
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