Women’s Basketball Faces Ball State in MAC-SBC Challenge

Saturday, February 7

Muncie, Ind.

12 p.m.

Troy University

Ball State

Women’s Basketball Faces Ball State in MAC-SBC Challenge

2/6/2026 10:44:00 AM | Basketball (W)

Watch Live Listen Live Live Stats Game Notes (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – The Troy women's basketball team pauses Sun Belt Conference play for its final nonconference matchup and the second round of the MAC-SBC Challenge against Ball State in Muncie, Ind., on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 12 p.m.

The Trojans (19-4, 10-2 SBC) and Cardinals (18-5, 10-1 MAC) are seated second in their league's respective conferences. Troy sits 0-1 all-time against Ball State as it looks to improve its MAC-SBC Challenge record to 3-3 after beating Toledo in the season-opener.

Game Information
Location: Muncie, Ind. – Worthen Arena
Matchup: Troy (19-4, 10-2 SBC) vs. Ball State (18-5, 10-1 MAC)
When: Saturday, Feb. 7 – 12 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network
Stats: troytrojans.com/livestats

Pause the League Play
Troy outscored App State 19-10 in the final 10 minutes of regulation to secure its ninth straight win over the opposition and remain in a tie for second in the Sun Belt Conference standings. Zay Dyer led the charge in the victory with a 20-point, 19-rebound, 4-block game. Of her 19 rebounds, 11 came on the offensive end to remain atop the SBC charts in defensive rebounds per game (7.8), offensive rebounds (4.6) and rebounds per game (12.4). She also ranks third in total rebounds per game nationally.

With the MAC-SBC Challenge, the Trojans pause league play and return to nonconference action, looking to improve on their 9-2 record in non-SBC matchups. Troy also sits 2-3 in the MAC-SBC Challenge after beating Toledo in the season-opener. The team has already faced Ball State in the MAC-SBC Challenge in 2023-24, looking to avenge the loss despite an 11-point, 9-rebound performance in Dyer's Trojan debut.

Head coach Chanda Rigby tied Joyce Sorrell for the most wins in Troy women's basketball history, earning her 247^th win over App State. She eyes the record in the MAC-SBC Challenge along with her 10^th 20-plus win season at Troy. Emani Jenkins also hit her 70^th 3-pointer of the season against the Mountaineers, as she needs four against Ball State for the Troy single-season record.

Scouting Ball State
Ball State enters the MAC-SBC Challenge as the No. 2 team in its respective league, one game behind Miami (10-0 MAC). The Cardinals ride a three-game win streak into the team's final nonconference game, but lost its last three nonconference games against Davidson, Louisville and South Dakota State. Bree Salenbien (14.9), Tessa Towers (14) and Grace Kingery (13) average double-digits for the Cardinals, with Towers also being the team's leading rebounder at 8.1.

Notables
• Troy is a perfect 8-0, 4-0 SBC when losing the opening tip.
• Troy is 0-1 against Ball State, falling in the season opener of 2023-24. In that game, Zay Dyer had 11 points and nine rebounds in her Trojan debut.
• The Trojans are 2-3 in the MAC-SBC Challenge after beating Toledo in the season-opener. They are 1-1 in the MAC-SBC Challenge on the road with a win over Bowling Green and a loss to Buffalo.
• Zay Dyer has had multiple games with 20-plus points, 19-plus rebounds and 4-plus blocks in the last two seasons. She's the only SBC player to have multiple over the last five seasons.
• Zay Dyer has seven straight double-doubles, becoming the first Trojan since Ja'Mia Hollings to have 5 or more consecutive double-doubles.
• Rachel Leggett is nine points from 1,000 career points, scoring 230 as a Trojan and 761 at South Alabama.
• Career Records to Watch: Zay Dyer – total rebounds (885 – fourth all-time, first in D-I), rebounds per game (9.3 – seventh all-time, fourth in D-I), blocks (83 – eighth all-time, sixth in D-I), field goals made (438 – seventh in D-I) / Emani Jenkins – 3-pointers (137 – seventh all-time, seventh in D-I), 3-point percentage (.397 – second all-time, first in D-I).
• Single-Season Records to Watch: Emani Jenkins – 3-pointers (70 – fourth all-time, third in D-I), 3-point percentage (.438 – third all-time, third D-I) / Zay Dyer – rebounds (285 – seventh in D-I), rebounds per game (12.4 – third all-time, second in D-I) / Fortuna Ngnawo – rebounds per game (10.2 – eighth in D-I)
• Zay Dyer leads the conference with 15 double-doubles, followed closely behind by Fortuna Ngnawo at 13. Troy is the only team in the country with two players averaging a double-double.
• With her win over Marshall, head coach Chanda Rigby claimed her 500^th collegiate victory.
• Troy enters its matchup with Ball State as the best Division-I team in rebounds at 50.8. The Trojans have led the nation in rebounds over the last seven seasons.
• Troy has yet to be outrebounded by a league opponent, averaging a plus-17.0 rebound margin through 12 games.
• With her four blocks against App State, Zay Dyer (83) passed Valensia Hairston for the sixth-most career blocks in a Troy D-I career.
• Emani Jenkins converted three 3-pointers against App State for her 13^th game with 3-plus three made. She also moved to sole possession of third for the most threes made in a D-I single season at Troy.
• With the victory, head coach Chanda Rigby tied Joyce Sorrell for the most wins in Troy women's basketball history at 274.
• The Trojans rank eighth in the Mid-Major polls and 65^th in the NCAA Net Rankings, sitting second in the Sun Belt Conference in the NET ranking.
• Of the Trojans' 19 victories, 14 have come by double-digits, with nine coming by 20 or more points.
• For the first time this season, Rachel Leggett led the Trojans in rebounds with 13. She also had nine points and two steals against Coastal Carolina. Leggett scored 10-plus points in 12 of her last 15 games.
• Zay Dyer sits 13th among active women's basketball players with 1,065 career rebounds (ninth in D-I) and 24th (10th in D-I) for double-doubles at 41.
• Zay Dyer's 8.24 rebounds per game in her career ranks 17^th in Division-I.
• Zay Dyer leads the SBC in double-doubles (15), rebounds (285), defensive rebounds per game (7.8), offensive rebounds (4.6) and rebounds per game (12.4). She also ranks third in total rebounds per game nationally.
• Zay Dyer has scored in double-figures in 31 of her last 36 games with double-digit rebounds in 23 of her last 29 games.
• Fortuna Ngnawo leads Troy and sits fifth in the conference with 14.8 points per game on the eighth-highest field goal percentage at 44.6.
• For the 13^th time in the last 15 games, Fortuna Ngnawo ended with a double-double against App State. She also scored double figures in 25 of her last 26 games.
• Troy's 21-point comeback against Marshall marked its second 20-plus point comeback of the season, coming back from down 23 against Longwood on Dec. 3.
• With her 70 3-pointers (second in SBC), Emani Jenkins averages 3.0 per game to sit second in the SBC. She ranks eighth and 12^th nationally, respectively. She also leads the conference in 3-point percentage at 43.8, ranking 17^th in the country.
• Jenkins' 10 threes against Oakwood ties three players for the most in a single game in 2025-26, while breaking the all-time single-game record at Troy.
• Troy broke its single-game records for points (132), 3-pointers (20) and assists (36) in the win over Oakwood.
• For the third straight season, the Trojans were crowned champions of an in-season tournament: Austin Peay Christmas Classic (2023), Great Alaska Shootout (2024) and Resorts World Las Vegas Classic (2025).
• Fortuna Ngnawo became the first 2025-26 Sun Belt Player of the Week on Nov. 11, averaging 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, four blocks and 1.5 steals in the first two games.
• Troy reached the WNIT Championship game last season, making it to the WNIT Fab 4 in each of the last two seasons.