Free admission Thursday as Troy hosts FAU in Sun Belt basketball battle
Two teams with aggressive man-to-man defense. Two teams with explosive scorers. Two teams with athletes that can push it up and down the floor at a torrid pace.
And fans can even watch Thursday night's Troy-Florida Atlantic matchup free of charge. The Troy University Department of Athletics does encourage all fans to bring non-perishable food items that will be donated to the Pike County Salvation Army.
?It will be a chance for fans to come out and see the new arena with free admission and watch two very similar teams,? Troy basketball coach Don Maestri said.
The Trojans host the Owls tonight at 7 in the new Trojan Arena in an early-season Sun Belt Conference battle. Both teams have been struggling of late and will come into the game hungry to pick up a league win.
Troy (5-8 overall, 0-2 Sun Belt) lost its last game 66-64 in overtime at Utah Valley State on Dec. 20 before the Christmas break, while FAU (5-7, 1-1) lost at No. 5-ranked Indiana 88-52 last Friday and is on a three-game losing streak.
The Owls, led by veteran coach Mike Jarvis, have played a beefed up non-conference schedule which includes losses at North Carolina, Mississippi State and Dayton in addition to the Indiana game.
FAU showcases senior sharpshooter Greg Gantt, who leads the Sun Belt in scoring and ranks eighth in the country at 21.2 points per game.
?He?s the best shooter in the league,? Maestri said. ?It?s not even close. He?s just an outstanding basketball player and they run a lot of screens to get him open.?
Troy point guard Antoine Myers will get the nod to defend man-to-man against Gantt, a 6-foot-2 senior guard.
?Myers will start on him,? Maestri said. ?He?s (Myers) fast and he can guard kids that are fast and strong.?
According to reports in the Sun Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., freshmen guards Cavon Baker and Stefan Moody were recently suspended for three games by Jarvis. Moody, a prep Parade All American, is averaging 15 points per game this season while Baker is averaging four points coming off the bench. If reports are correct, Thursday's game would mark the final game of the suspensions.
In Troy?s last outing, junior forward Tevin Calhoun came off the bench for a career-high 18 points. Another forward, senior Ray Chambers, has also been playing well of late. In the past four games, he?s averaged 12.3 points and eight rebounds per outing.
Maestri said it will be important for senior Troy guard Emil Jones to have a strong game. Jones averages a team-high 10.2 points per game, but hasn?t consistently put up big numbers.
?Emil is one who has to step up for us,? Maestri said.
While Troy has lost six of its last seven, most of the games have been down to the wire ? including two overtime losses.
?We?ve lost and won a lot of tight basketball games in the last two minutes of the game,? Maestri said. ?When you?re a man-to-man team, you?re going to have a lot of close games like that.?
Maestri says the attitude of the team remains good despite the recent struggles.
?This team still has great chemistry,? Maestri said. ?They enjoy playing the game and they enjoy playing together.?
Two teams with aggressive man-to-man defense. Two teams with explosive scorers. Two teams with athletes that can push it up and down the floor at a torrid pace.
And fans can even watch Thursday night's Troy-Florida Atlantic matchup free of charge. The Troy University Department of Athletics does encourage all fans to bring non-perishable food items that will be donated to the Pike County Salvation Army.
?It will be a chance for fans to come out and see the new arena with free admission and watch two very similar teams,? Troy basketball coach Don Maestri said.
The Trojans host the Owls tonight at 7 in the new Trojan Arena in an early-season Sun Belt Conference battle. Both teams have been struggling of late and will come into the game hungry to pick up a league win.
Troy (5-8 overall, 0-2 Sun Belt) lost its last game 66-64 in overtime at Utah Valley State on Dec. 20 before the Christmas break, while FAU (5-7, 1-1) lost at No. 5-ranked Indiana 88-52 last Friday and is on a three-game losing streak.
The Owls, led by veteran coach Mike Jarvis, have played a beefed up non-conference schedule which includes losses at North Carolina, Mississippi State and Dayton in addition to the Indiana game.
FAU showcases senior sharpshooter Greg Gantt, who leads the Sun Belt in scoring and ranks eighth in the country at 21.2 points per game.
?He?s the best shooter in the league,? Maestri said. ?It?s not even close. He?s just an outstanding basketball player and they run a lot of screens to get him open.?
Troy point guard Antoine Myers will get the nod to defend man-to-man against Gantt, a 6-foot-2 senior guard.
?Myers will start on him,? Maestri said. ?He?s (Myers) fast and he can guard kids that are fast and strong.?
According to reports in the Sun Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., freshmen guards Cavon Baker and Stefan Moody were recently suspended for three games by Jarvis. Moody, a prep Parade All American, is averaging 15 points per game this season while Baker is averaging four points coming off the bench. If reports are correct, Thursday's game would mark the final game of the suspensions.
In Troy?s last outing, junior forward Tevin Calhoun came off the bench for a career-high 18 points. Another forward, senior Ray Chambers, has also been playing well of late. In the past four games, he?s averaged 12.3 points and eight rebounds per outing.
Maestri said it will be important for senior Troy guard Emil Jones to have a strong game. Jones averages a team-high 10.2 points per game, but hasn?t consistently put up big numbers.
?Emil is one who has to step up for us,? Maestri said.
While Troy has lost six of its last seven, most of the games have been down to the wire ? including two overtime losses.
?We?ve lost and won a lot of tight basketball games in the last two minutes of the game,? Maestri said. ?When you?re a man-to-man team, you?re going to have a lot of close games like that.?
Maestri says the attitude of the team remains good despite the recent struggles.
?This team still has great chemistry,? Maestri said. ?They enjoy playing the game and they enjoy playing together.?
