Troy University Athletics
Troy University
11-6,4-1Sun Belt
Louisiana
4-14,2-4Sun Belt
Troy Catches Fire from Deep in 90-70 win at Louisiana
1/10/2026 4:51:00 PM | Basketball (M)
LAFAYETTE, La. – Six players scored in double figures and 13 saw game action as Troy men's basketball put together an impressive display on both ends of the floor Saturday, defeating Louisiana, 90-70.
The Trojans knocked down shot after shot from beyond the arc, connecting on 17 of 29 3-point attempts (58.6 percent).
On the glass, Troy dominated Louisiana, outrebounding the Ragin Cajuns 42-19, including a 24-13 edge in offensive rebounds. That advantage led to 30 second-chance points for the Trojans.
Thomas Dowd led Troy (11-6, 4-1) in scoring with 15 points, while Victor Valdes added 12 points and seven assists.
Making his fourth start of the season, Kerrington Kiel put forth a stat line of 11 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
Louisiana (4-14, 2-4) was paced by Dorian Finister's game-high 25 points.
Troy scored the first nine points of the game thanks to three consecutive 3-pointers from the Campbell brothers. Cobi Campbell knocked down the first two baskets of the afternoon, followed by a deep ball from Cooper Campbell.
Cooper Campbell finished the first half with 12 points and was a perfect four-for-four from three.
The hot shooting was not limited to the Campbell brothers. As a team, Troy shot 55.9 percent (19-of-34) from the field and an eye-popping 66.7 percent (12-of-18) from 3-point range in the opening half.
A second chance layup from Valdes gave Troy a 21-point lead, its largest in the first half.
The Trojans entered the locker room with an 18-point advantage.
Louisiana scored the first four points of the second half to cap off a seven point run, the Cajuns largest scoring run of the afternoon.
It was halted by an impressive finish from Kiel, who fought for an offensive rebound before faking a pass for the lay in.
Kiel added another quick five points to extend the Trojans' lead back to 20 at 64-44.
The exclamation mark came with 8:50 remaining, as Victor Valdes found Theo Seng for an alley-oop dunk, giving Troy its largest lead of the game at 24.
Jerrell Bellamy also rocked the rim, throwing down two slams during the second half.
Scott Cross emptied the bench in the closing minutes, as Javen Colbert, Emmanuel Clarton, Evan Griffin, and Hikaru Awata all saw action. Griffin scored Troy's final points on a layup off a nifty assist from Clarton.
The game finished with a 90-70 score, giving Troy its fourth Sun Belt win of the season.
Quotable – Head Coach Scott Cross
"I feel like today was the most unselfish we've played all year long. The ball was moving around, and we got hot from the outside. It was one of those nights where everything was falling. But we also won it on the boards; that was the biggest thing. We had 18 offensive rebounds which translated to 30 second chance points, which was the difference in the game."
Notables
- Troy's 17 3-pointers made are its most since the Trojans converted on 17 attempts against Coastal Carolina on Feb. 24, 2023.
- Troy outscored Louisiana in second chance points 30-2. The 30 points is Troy's highest mark in second chance points this season, while two second chance points allowed ties the least allowed. The Trojans also allowed just two against Pensacola Christian on Nov. 11.
- Troy's 58.6 percent performance from long range marks its highest shooting percentage with at least 17 made 3-pointers since at least the 2004-05 season.
- Six Trojans scored in double figures – Dowd (15), Cobi Campbell (12), Cooper Campbell (12), Valdes (12), and Keil (11), the most since seven scored 10-plus points against LaGrange on Dec. 6.
- Troy did not record a steal on Saturday, which had not happened since Feb. 24, 2018 in a win over ULM.
- Troy's 25 assists are its most since the Trojans recorded 26 against LaGrange on Dec. 6, and the most in a Division I game since Troy picked up 30 assists in an overtime win over Western Michigan on Dec. 21, 2010.
- It is also Troy's most assists in a regulation game against a D-I opponent since it 27 assists in a 100-63 win over Northwestern State on Nov. 29, 2008.
- Thomas Dowd set a new career high with five assists.
- Kerrington Kiel's 11 points were a career best.
- Redshirt freshman Hikaru Awata saw game action for the first time in his career.
- Troy is now 11-23 all-time against Louisiana.
Up Next
Troy hosts Southern Miss on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 6 p.m. The game can be streamed on ESPN+ and heard on the Troy Sports Media Network.
