Troy University Athletics
Troy University
10-5,3-0Sun Belt
South Alabama
11-5,2-2Sun Belt
Troy Takes Down South Alabama in Defensive Battle
1/3/2026 7:19:00 PM | Basketball (M)
TROY, Ala. – Overcoming multiple scoring droughts, Troy men's basketball used timely shooting and stout defense to earn a low-scoring, 59–49 win over in-state rival South Alabama on Saturday afternoon.
Troy (10-5, 3-0) received an all-around performance from Thomas Dowd, who scored 18 points and hauled in 15 rebounds. Dowd also added three blocks.
Cobi Campbell delivered one of his most impressive performances as a Trojan, scoring 15 points on a career-high five 3-pointers.
South Alabama (11-5, 2-2) opened the game on a 6-0 run, as Troy did not score its first points until the 15:32 mark. Victor Valdes' first basket sparked a 7-0 Troy run, giving the Trojans a lead they would not relinquish for the rest of the game.
Troy shot 41.2 percent from 3-point range and 40.0 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes. Dowd scored 16 first-half points, while adding seven rebounds and two blocks.
The first frame featured stout defensive efforts from both teams, however, as the game featured a four-minute stretch with no field goals made by either side.
In the final minute of the first half, Dowd blocked a John Broom layup attempt and raced up the court to make his fourth 3-pointer of the opening frame. Troy headed to the locker room with a 30-23 lead.
Troy came out firing to open the second half, starting the period on an 11-0 run, with Cooper Campbell knocking down two 3-pointers during the stretch.
Despite leading 46-32 at the under-16 media timeout, the Trojans then went scoreless for a 6:28 stretch, allowing the Jaguars to cut the lead to just four points.
A Valdes layup extended the lead to seven with under five minutes remaining, with both offenses then struggling to find the bottom of the basket. Neither team scored again until Cobi Campbell buried a three with 2:26 left to make the score 56-46.
Another Cobi Campbell three iced the game for Troy, as the Trojans went on to win, 59-49.
Quotable – Head Coach Scott Cross
"We're thankful to the good Lord for this victory. What a hard-fought game. Both teams are really good teams. Credit to South and their zone. They force you to shoot shots, and you have to knock them down. Luckily, we have good enough 3-point shooters to hit a high enough percentage to be able to win this basketball game."
Notables
- South Alabama's 49 points were the fewest allowed by Troy against a Division I opponent since holding ULM to 46 points on March 1, 2014.
- Troy is 3-0 to open Sun Belt play for the third consecutive season.
- Troy's 42 3-point attempts were a season high; the Trojans connected on 13 (31.0 percent).
- Troy recorded a season-high six blocked shots.
- Troy's 59 points scored were a season low.
- Cobi Campbell set a career high with five made 3-pointers.
- Victor Valdes recorded a career-high four steals.
- Troy is now 16-31 all-time against South Alabama.
Up Next
Troy will head on the road for a Sun Belt Championship game rematch against Arkansas State on Wednesday, Jan. 7. Tip-off from Jonesboro is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
