After trailing at halftime, the Troy Trojans women’s basketball team rallied in the second half to defeat the University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) Warhawks 86-80 on Wednesday night at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
The Trojans, now holding a 14-3 overall record and 5-1 in Sun Belt Conference play, are tied for third place in the conference. The win marks their 15th victory in the last 16 meetings against ULM and improves their recent record at Fant-Ewing Coliseum to seven wins in nine games.
Zay Dyer led Troy with her ninth double-double of the season, scoring 24 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Sixteen of her points came after halftime. Teammates Fortuna Ngnawo (12), Ashley Baez (15), and Rachel Leggett (14) also scored in double figures, contributing significantly during the second half. As a team, Troy shot over 50 percent from the field for the fifth time this season.
For ULM, Nakiyah Mays-Prince played a leading role with 23 points, six steals, and four assists. Jazmine Jackson added 11 points off the bench while J’Mani Ingram contributed 18. Despite shooting just over 40 percent from the floor, ULM lost control of turnovers in the second half as Troy converted those opportunities into crucial points.
The game shifted early in the third quarter when Troy went on a seven-point run to take back the lead. Another run later in that period gave them an advantage they maintained for the rest of the contest. In key moments late in the fourth quarter, defensive plays by Leggett and free throws by Baez helped secure Troy’s win.
Head coach Chanda Rigby commented on her team’s performance: “We’re very fortunate to come out of Monroe with a win. Credit to ULM. They had a really solid gameplan under a great new head coach. We got off to a rough start with a lot of turnovers. But this team fought through, especially towards the end of the third quarter. The biggest changes we made at halftime was spreading the offense, so we could attack the post. And defensively, we kept switching when we made subs. Plus, when we put Lana in, she answered the call and hit some big shots. Now, we go back to the hotel, get well rested, get some nutrition in us, and get ready for a long bus ride tomorrow to face Texas State.”
Troy will continue its road trip with another conference matchup against Texas State on Saturday.
Statistical highlights include Dyer’s league-leading ninth double-double this season; Leggett’s eighth double-digit scoring effort in nine games; Emani Jenkins making three three-pointers for her tenth such game; Lana Koricanac achieving career highs in blocks and assists; and Troy maintaining an undefeated record when shooting above fifty percent from the field this year.
