Troy University Athletics
Troy University
UMass
11/1/2026 12:24:00 PM | Basketball (M)
TROY, Ala. – The Adam Howard era officially tips off Monday night when Troy men's basketball hosts UMass in its season opener as part of the MAC-SBC Challenge. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. at Trojan Arena.
The Trojans look to build on their sustained success, entering the season as back-to-back Sun Belt Tournament and regular season champions. Monday marks Troy's first game since falling to Nebraska in the NCAA Tournament in March. Just three players and one assistant coach return from last season's squad, but a revamped roster will look to uphold the standard established by the program in recent years.
The incoming group consists of seven transfers and five players preparing for their first season of college basketball. Notable additions include Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team selection Jacoi Hutchinson, who transferred from Longwood; last season's Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year, Robert Davis Jr., from Old Dominion; and Donovan Oday, who averaged 18.6 points per game at Northern Kentucky last season.
Three returning players round out the roster: Kerrington Kiel, Evan Griffin and Hikaru Awata. Kiel brings the most collegiate experience of the trio after appearing in 34 games last season, averaging 3.9 points per game.
UMass returns seven players from last season's squad, which finished 17-16 overall and 7-11 in MAC play. The Minutemen dropped both of their MAC-SBC Challenge matchups last season, falling to Marshall in the season opener before losing to Coastal Carolina in February.
Game Information
The Matchup: Troy vs. UMass
Location: Troy, Ala.
When: Monday, November 2 – 6 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Media Network
Roster Rundown
Troy's 2026-27 roster features seven transfers: Robert Davis Jr. (Old Dominion), Caden Diggs (UMBC), Jacoi Hutchinson (Longwood), Mobi Ikegwuruka (Kansas State), Jayme Kontuniemi (NC State), Donovan Oday (Northern Kentucky) and Sam Walters (SMU). The Trojans also welcome five players entering their first season of college basketball in Afonso Pacheco, Cauã Pacheco, Willie Piggott Jr., Romain Valakou and Tucker Wadsworth, while Hikaru Awata, Evan Griffin and Kerrington Kiel return from last season.
Alongside head coach Adam Howard, four assistant coaches will begin their first season at Troy: Franklin Miskelly, Kyle Roane, Bryen Spriggs and Anthony Winchester. Assistant coach Larry Cordaro returns for his fourth season with the Trojans.
Accepting the Challenge
The MAC-SBC Challenge enters its fourth season this year, a competition Troy has found success in. The Trojans are 4-2 in the competition, including two wins last season. Troy opened the year with a road overtime win vs. Kent State before defeating Akron in a nationally televised matchup in February.
Scouting UMass
UMass returns seven players from last season, bringing in three transfers and five first-years. The Minutemen went 17-16 last season, finishing eighth in the MAC with a 7-11 conference record. Head coach Frank Martin enters his fifth season in charge; Martin has also been head coach at South Carolina (2012-22) and Kansas State (2007-12). Danny Carbuccia is UMass' leading returning scorer after averaging 6.8 points per game last season, ranking fifth on the team. The Minutemen were picked to finish sixth in the MAC Preseason Poll.
Notables
- The Trojans have won at least 20 games overall and 10 Sun Belt games in each of the last five seasons, making them the only team in the conference to accomplish both feats during that span.
- Troy enters the season as one of five teams nationally to win both the conference regular-season and tournament titles in each of the last two years, joining Duke (ACC), High Point (Big South), St. John's (Big East), and VCU (A-10).
- Troy's roster features six international players this season, the most in known program history. The group includes Cauã Pacheco and Afonso Pacheco (Brazil), Jayme Kontuniemi (Finland), Romain Valakou (France), Mobi Ikegwuruka (Ireland) and Hikaru Awata (Japan).
- Troy was selected third in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll, its third-consecutive top-five selection.
- Robert Davis Jr spent the 2023-24 season at UMass, where he appeared in 29 games while averaging 3.6 points.
- Monday night marks the first-ever meeting between Troy and UMass.
