Troy beats Arkansas State 94-81 to clinch NCAA Tournament spot for the first time since 2017
PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — Tayton Conerway, the Sun Belt Conference player of the year, scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half, Myles Rigsby added 20 points and No. 3 seed Troy beat fourth-seeded Arkansas State 94-81 on Monday night to clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017.
Troy (23-10) won the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament for just the third time in program history.
Arkansas State (24-10) was in the championship game for the second year in a row, battling for its first NCAA berth since 1999 and second in school history.
Troy trailed 66-58 with 10 minutes to go before going on 24-4 run, sparked by Conerway's 12 points, to go ahead 82-70 with 2:12 left. It was the first double-digit lead of the game.
The Trojans made seven straight shots at the end of the run, while Arkansas State went 2 of 13 from the field over eight minutes.
Troy shot 65% from the field in the second half, getting 16 points from Rigsby and 11 from Thomas Dowd.
Dowd finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, and Jackson Fields added 10 points for Troy, which won its sixth straight game.
Dyondre Dominguez led Arkansas State with 19 points and Derrian Ford added 17. Terrance Ford Jr. had 11 points and seven assists, and Kobe Julien and Joseph Pinion each scored 10.
Conerway finished the tournament with 61 points after scoring 18 in quarterfinals against Old Dominion and 22 in semifinals versus No. 2 seed James Madison. He was 8 of 17 from the field against the Red Wolves.
___
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Louisville makes 6th CWS with 3-2 win over Miami on King's RBI double in 7th
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Eddie King Jr. doubled in the winning run in the seventh inning to lift Louisville to a 3-2 win over Miami on Sunday, advancing the Cardinals to their sixth College World Series. King's clutch hit came after Jake Munroe's two-out single and a wild pitch. Advertisement Neither team was among the top 16 seeds, but the Cardinals (39-21) were the surprise winners of the Nashville Regional hosted by overall No. 1 seed Vanderbilt and Miami won Southern Mississippi's Hattiesburg Regional. Louisville will face the Oregon State-Florida State winner in Omaha, Nebraska, later this week. Miami (34-26) was hoping for its 26th CWS appearance. Miami took the lead on Max Galvin's two-run homer in the third. The Cardinals got those back in the fourth on an RBI double by Zion Rose and a fielder's choice. Miami starter Ethan Eberle went five innings, allowing six hits. Jake Schweitzer (4-2) gave up two hits and two walks in three innings. Justin West got two outs in the ninth but also walked two before Brennyn Cutts got a flyout for his second save. Will Smith (3-1), the third of five Miami pitchers, took the loss. ___ AP college sports:
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
White caps rally in 8th with 2-run single, Arizona to CWS with 4-3 win over Tar Heels
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Mason White's two-run single capped a three-run eighth inning, lifting Arizona to a 4-3 victory over North Carolina on Sunday to earn the Wildcats their 19th trip to the College World Series. Arizona (44-19) dropped the opener of the Chapel Hill Super Regional 18-2 to the fifth-seeded Tar Heels (46-15) before winning 10-8 on Saturday and rallying on Sunday. Advertisement The Wildcats, whose last appearance in the CWS was in 2021, will face Coastal Carolina in Omaha, Nebraska, later this week The final game belonged to the pitchers as both teams mustered just five hits. Arizona starter Smith Bailey gave up three runs and all five hits in his six innings. Two of the hits were singles ahead of Jackson Van De Brake's home run in the third. Julian Tonghini (5-2) pitched a perfect seventh, Casey Hintz gave up a pair of walks in a scoreless eighth, and Tony Pluta faced three batters in the ninth for his 14th save. Garen Caulfield gave Arizona a 1-0 lead in the second with a solo home run. The Wildcats had one hit from there until Andrew Cain singled leading off the eighth. Advertisement An error put two on base before Walker McDuffie relieved starter Ryan Lynch. That's when Easton Breyfogle beat out a bunt to third with Cain scoring when the third baseman threw the ball away. A walk loaded the bases before McDuffie (3-3) recorded an out with an infield fly. White greeted reliever Aidan Haugh with a single up the middle for the lead. Arizona is heading to the finals for only the fifth time since winning its third national title in 1986. The Wildcats also won in 1976, 1980 and 2012. North Carolina failed to advance to the CWS for just the third time in the 10 super regionals the Tar Heels have hosted. ___ AP college sports:
USA Today
28 minutes ago
- USA Today
'He was wonderful to coach': Nate Oats believes Clifford Omoruyi can flourish in the NBA
'He was wonderful to coach': Nate Oats believes Clifford Omoruyi can flourish in the NBA Clifford Omoruyi established himself as a dynamic player in college, and the former Alabama standout is looking to showcase that ability and more ahead of the 2025 NBA draft. Omoruyi was born in Nigeria and moved to New Jersey at the age of 14. He eventually committed to play at Rutgers in March 2020 after fielding over 20 offers, becoming the first consensus top-50 recruit to join the program since Kadeem Jack in 2010. The 6-foot-11 center saw steady improvement over his four years with the Scarlet Knights, culminating with two All-Big Ten Defensive Team selections. He played with a relentless motor, fighting for every rebound while protecting the rim at a high level. Omoruyi averaged 10.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocks on 51.2% shooting from the field as a senior during the 2023-24 season. He ranked fourth in the country in blocked shots (93) and was the first player with at least eight blocks in multiple conference games since 1999-00. "Just being Nigerian, you've got to push yourself to be better," Omoruyi told Rookie Wire of his energetic playing style. "Everybody is trying to win and chase their dreams, so if I don't do it, someone is going to do it. It is just better if I push myself to do it." Fresh off a tremendous season, Omoruyi entered the transfer portal and was viewed as one of the top available interior defenders. He eventually chose the Crimson Tide over the likes of Georgetown, Kansas State and North Carolina, among other programs. Omoruyi helped Alabama advance to the Elite Eight for the second straight year, averaging 7.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 37 appearances. He registered two double-doubles and ranked ninth in the country in 2-point field goal percentage (73.9). The 23-year-old finished in double figures 13 times this past season, including a season-high 17 points, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks on March 21 in a win over Robert Morris in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. "The best thing he does is protect the rim and rebound, and you've got to have that to win," Alabama head coach Nate Oats told Rookie Wire. "We are the only school in the country that has made the last two Elite Eights, so he helped us have a really successful year. We competed for an SEC championship, and the SEC was the best conference in the history of college basketball this year, and we were one of the top teams. He helped us with all of that." Omoruyi stepped into a starting role at Alabama, averaging 19.2 minutes per game, a decrease from 26.9 minutes per game the previous season. Oats and the team used a more pro-style approach designed to maximize their personnel, including Omoruyi. Because of their depth, Omoruyi wasn't required to log 30-plus minutes a night. By keeping him mostly in the 18-24 range, Omoruyi was able to continue to make high-energy plays by chasing loose balls, crashing the glass and protecting the paint. Omoruyi adjusted well to how the Crimson Tide operated on offense by serving as a consistent lob threat, with his athleticism and 7-foot, 6 1/4-inch wingspan. He put pressure on the rim as a roller in pick-and-roll situations and expanded his offensive game by handling the ball more. "He definitely wasn't used to playing at the pace we did, but I think he picked that up as it went on," Oats said. "He was used to getting the ball a lot more in the post, coming from Rutgers. He had no complaints ever about scoring less. He was really just a team guy and did whatever we needed him to." Omoruyi is now focused on proving himself, with team workouts and interviews ramping up before the draft on June 25-26 in Brooklyn, New York. He signed with Edge Sports, which also represents Indiana Pacers forward Enrique Freeman, among other players. The Nigerian has made his 3-point shooting a point of emphasis during his offseason workouts, putting up at least 500 shots in the gym on most days. He is also working on various other elements of his game, such as pick-and-rolls, ball handling and attacking the rim. "I have really improved greatly because I've been working on everything," Omoruyi said. "During the season, my coaches knew I could shoot, but that wasn't my game. They just wanted me to be a better player and work on what I'm good at, so I've been working on adding the 3-pointer to my game, and that is going well." Omoruyi previously tested the predraft process in 2023, competing in the G League Elite Camp in Chicago, Illinois. He views himself as a completely different player than he was at that time, and is more comfortable doing different things on the court. That experience prepared him for this year, after he finished his collegiate career with the Crimson Tide. He is looking to make the most of this process and is eager to show teams that he can be a reliable player at the next level. "I can be the best version of myself, I just need the opportunity to get there and keep doing what I'm doing," Omoruyi said. "I'm already a great defensive player, and I can improve more. I just have to keep improving on my shooting and everything." Omoruyi is considered a potential second-round pick, with many projecting him to be a productive backup center. He has completed several workouts with teams, including the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers, and has additional visits scheduled this month. After a productive five years in college, Omoruyi is on the verge of advancing to the next stage of his career. He left his mark at each stop over that span, and is looking to do it again in the NBA. "He is one of the best kids I've ever coached," Oats said. "He is great. He has a high IQ and is all about the team. He was wonderful to coach. Whoever gets him is going to get a great kid. I hope he ends up in a great situation where he gets a real chance to play. I think he'll take full advantage of it."
