Trojans make push for tourney

Dylan Hurst The Troy men’s basketball team couldn’t overcome a first-half deficit and fell 68-52 against Sun Belt Conference rival South Alabama in the Trojan Arena Saturday evening. The Trojans had problems with their shots from behind the arc, only making 6-of-22 (27 percent) after attempting to adapt to the Jaguars’ zone defense. Senior Alex Hicks recorded a double-double and a season-high of 21 points alongside 13 boards during the game. Sophomore Javan Johnson scored 13 points with 3-of-4 shots made from behind the arc along with three rebounds. The game saw a war of attrition early as six lead changes, and two ties were seen in the first 6:30 of regulation. South then grabbed the early lead at 21-12, but the Trojans went on an 8-0 run to bring the score to 21-20 with 6:02 remaining in the first half. The Jaguars responded with an 11-0 run of their own that resulted in a 32-22 lead going into halftime. Troy was unable to find an answer for South’s forward momentum and couldn’t pull within closer than eight points for the rest of the game. The Trojans will finish their home schedule when they face Texas State and the University of Texas at Arlington at Trojan Arena on Feb. 28 and March 2. Thursday's game is set for 6 p.m. while Saturday's matchup is slated for 2 p.m. with both games broadcast live on ESPN+.