(PHOTO/April Irvin)
The winning streak was cut short for the Troy University men’s basketball team as they took two tough losses from both Louisiana Monroe and Louisiana-Lafayette.
ULM defeated Troy 75-64 on Thursday, Jan. 16. The Trojans stayed in the game until the Warhawks took the game away after the first few minutes of the second half.
“When the game was on the line, there about midway through the second half or 10 minute mark it could have gone either way or it could have grinded down to the end, they stepped for and made the plays and we didn’t,” said head coach Phil Cunningham.
While Troy out-rebounded Louisiana Monroe 28-25, the Warhawks percentage from behind the arc and from the field exceeded Troy’s. ULM shot 64 percent from behind the arc while Troy only shot 28 percent.
Leading scorers for Troy were senior guards Jeff Mullahey and Hunter Williams. They each had 16 points and were followed by senior guard Antoine Myers who had 13.
Throughout the course of the game, the lead changed between the Warhawks and Trojans six different times and was tied eight times.
The other tough loss for the Trojans came Saturday night, Jan. 19, as they competed against the Ragin’ Cajuns. They ended up defeating Troy 72-59.
Troy hung in with Louisiana-Lafayette until the six minute mark of the game when ULL went on a 13-0 run.
While Troy out-rebounded yet another Louisiana team, this time 33-32, shooting percentage and three pointers were Troy’s downfall. The Ragin’ Cajuns field goal percentage was 54 percent while Troy’s was only 41 percent. Lafayette shot 40 percent from behind the arc where Troy only shot 29 percent.
“They played good defense I think, but we missed a lot of open shots. I mean, I had two in the second half that if I could get back, I wish I had knocked them down. I think it would have been a different game,” said Mullahey in regards to shooting percentages.
Throughout the game, senior forward Tevin Calhoun led the Trojans with 14 points. With his fourth double-double of the season, junior Kevin Thomas had 13 points and 13 rebounds. Mullahey also had 13 points throughout the game.
“That was one that’s tough, it’s a tough pill to swallow when we fought back the way we did,” said Cunningham about his team’s performance on Saturday.
The Trojans will be competing on the road this week. They will play UT-Arlington on Thursday night, Jan. 23, with tipoff at 8 p.m. Their next matchup will be Saturday, Jan. 25, against Texas State beginning at 4:30 p.m.
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