Basketball final: South Alabama 84, Troy 73
December 20, 2007
EDIT - Here is the game story from the Mobile Press-Register.
Well, dang, if Troy hits another three then I’ve got the score predicted accurately (see below).
Troy was up by one at the half. What obviously hurt Troy the most was the rebounding advantage, where South Alabama had a 58-32 advantage. There was one possession where the Trojans forced a last-second shot clock long 3-pointer, but allowed USA to get the rebound.
But listening to Jerry and Barry, it sounds like the Trojans hurt themselves on a couple of possessions. While O’Darien Bassett and Justin Jonus were carrying the team, the Trojans had a long offensive possession but sophomore Tracye Macon fired up some wild shot. This was with 5:30 left and Troy down one. USA got the rebound and hit a three.
Troy’s Bassett hit a three with 3:30 left to cut the lead to 76-71, but after a timeout, Macon and Jarvis Acker had a defensive breakdown on the press where they allowed a USA player to get past them for a long pass and dunk. One thought the other was supposed to cover it.
I look for South Alabama, Western Kentucky or North Texas to win the Sun Belt title. Who’s next for Troy? WKU (Dec. 29) and UNT (Jan. 3) at home. I don’t guess the students will be back for either but a good crowd makes Trojan Arena a tough place to play.
Bassett led Troy with 25 points. Jonus and Macon each scored 12. Demetric Bennett scored 26 for the Jaguars. Domonic Tilford added 18 points and DeAndre Coleman had 10 points with 18 rebounds.
I was not at the game in Mobile, but the Press-Register covered it and I’ll link it on here tomorrow. My boss would have covered it on the way to New Orleans to join me in covering the bowl, had Troy beaten FAU. Troy basketball coach Don Maestri told me earlier this week that a bunch of Troy fans had planned on stopping by the game on the way down there, but it didn’t happen.
