(Photo/Chris Davis)Senior Amber Rivers scored eight points on Thursday and reached 1000 points for her career.Kennedy RoyStaff Writer The Troy women’s basketball team earned double-digit wins over the Texas State Bobcats and top-ranked Texas-Arlington last weekend in Trojan Arena. The win moves the team’s record to 7-1 in conference play for the season and 16-3 overall with 10 games remaining in the regular season. Knocking off Texas Arlington on Saturday puts the Trojans in first place in the Sun Belt Conference standings. The team’s performance against Texas State was one of the most complete games the Trojans have played all year. The team shot 34 percent from the arc, grabbed 65 rebounds and only allowed two made field goals in the fourth quarter. After the game, Head Coach Chanda Rigby spoke about the team’s performance. “I’m really proud of the team,” Rigby said. “They played defense for 40 minutes. “They were really intense on defense. Post players did a lot of special things with Japonica James with 28 points and a double-double.” James’ 28 points marked her career-high in points; her 11 rebounds posted were a season high, and the double-double was her first of the season as well. Another achievement of the night was the addition of Amber Rivers into the 1,000-point club after scoring eight points on the night. “It means a lot to me because I didn’t get 1,000 points in high school, so this is something I was aiming for when I got here,” Rivers said after the game. On Saturday, the Trojans faced the UT-Arlington Mavericks, who had won six of their seven previous games. Five of those six wins had come by double-digits. The Trojans ran the Mavericks out of the gym with a final score of 85-69 on Saturday. The win ended a three-game losing streak to the Mavericks and put the Trojans alone at the top of the Sun Belt Conference standings. After the game, Rigby discussed her assessment of the team’s performance. “The players showed a lot of maturity,” Rigby said. “There isn’t a way you’re going to play a team like Texas-Arlington and not have them make runs, but we got the game in control and weathered their runs.” Troy’s defense was the biggest factor of their success, forcing multiple shot clock violations as well as holding the Sun Belt Conference’s leading scorer to only four points in the game. Troy forced 20 turnovers, recorded nine steals and sent four shots to the stands. “The defense was huge,” Rigby said. “It helps to have Kate Rodgers in the middle. “To me, she’s the best defensive player in the Sun Belt Conference that I have seen. She does her job every night and allows us to do extra things because she is holding it down in the lane against the other team’s best post player.” Rodgers’ effect on defense was felt with two blocks and two steals against the Mavericks on Saturday. Rebounding also played a huge role as Troy out-rebounded UTA by 27, the Mavericks’ largest deficit in 3 seasons. The Trojans continue their reign in Trojan Arena taking on the South Alabama Jaguars on Saturday at 2 p.m.before playing Louisiana-Monroe on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The Jaguars have won four of their last five games South Alabama is currently sixth in the Sun Belt Conference. The Jaguars are 5-3 in the Sun Belt Conference and record and 10-10overall.
Staff Writer
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