Troy University’s women’s basketball team will end its four-game road trip with a game against Southern Miss at Reed Green Coliseum in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on Saturday, January 3. The game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
The Trojans currently hold an 11-2 record overall and are undefeated in Sun Belt Conference play at 2-0. This marks the program’s best start in history and presents an opportunity for Troy to achieve its first 3-0 start in league play since the 2019-20 season.
Troy began the new year with a decisive win over Louisiana, defeating them 80-54. The team’s defense limited Louisiana to under 30 percent shooting from the field and just over 11 percent from three-point range. Troy also dominated the boards, outrebounding their opponent by a margin of 23.
Last season, Troy swept Southern Miss with victories both at home and away, including their first-ever win at Reed Green Coliseum. In that game, players Fortuna Ngnawo, Ashley Baez, and Emani Jenkins all scored in double figures. The Trojans’ defense held Southern Miss to just over 27 percent shooting and again won the rebounding battle by a wide margin.
Fortuna Ngnawo leads Troy this season in scoring (14.8 points per game), field goal percentage (47.7%), steals (1.4 per game), and blocks (1.3 per game). She ranks fifth among conference scorers and is third in field goal percentage within the Sun Belt Conference. Ngnawo has recorded five double-doubles so far this season.
Southern Miss enters the matchup following a loss to Arkansas State but had previously defeated South Alabama and Louisiana. Under first-year head coach Missy Bilderback, Southern Miss holds the second-highest scoring offense in the conference at just over 79 points per game—trailing only Troy’s average of nearly 85 points per contest. Sakyia White leads Southern Miss with eight rebounds per game and is second on her team in scoring.
Additional notes highlight that Troy ranks fourth nationally among mid-major programs and stands at number 64 in NCAA Net Rankings. Emani Jenkins currently holds both career and single-season records for three-point shooting percentage at Troy. Zay Dyer leads the Sun Belt Conference—and ranks highly nationwide—in several rebounding categories.
Troy also leads its conference in multiple statistical categories: assists, free throw attempts, free throws made, rebound margin, defensive rebounds, offensive rebounds, total rebounds, scoring margin, total scoring average, and winning percentage.
The team recently set new single-game program records for points scored (132), three-pointers made (20), and assists (36) during a victory over Oakwood. Jenkins broke the school record for most three-pointers made in a single game during that contest as well.
Troy has won an in-season tournament for three consecutive years: Austin Peay Christmas Classic (2023), Great Alaska Shootout (2024), and Resorts World Las Vegas Classic (2025). Last season saw them reach the WNIT Championship Game after leading Division I women’s basketball teams nationally in rebounds per game for seven straight years.
