Men’s Basketball Travels to No. 18 Arkansas – Troy University Athletics

TROY, Ala. – The Troy men’s basketball team looks to continue its strong start to open its season as they travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for a battle with No. 18 Arkansas on Wednesday night at Bud Walton Arena. 
 
Troy (2-0) picked up a pair of double-digit victories in the opening week of play, which included a 10-point home win over Toledo in the MAC-SBC Challenge and a 17-point win over New Orleans in its first-round game of the year. 
 
No. 18 Arkansas (1-1) opened its season with a win over Lipscomb at home, before falling to No. 8 Baylor in Dallas on Friday night. The Razorbacks are in their first year under legendary head coach John Calipari.
 
Game Information
The Matchup: Troy at No. 18 Arkansas
When: Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024 | 7 p.m. 
Where: Fayetteville, Ark. | Bud Walton Arena (19,368)
Watch: SECN+
Listen: Troy Sports Radio Network 
Live Stats: Troystats.com
 
The Trojans couldn’t have asked for a better start to this year’s campaign, as they are averaging 81.0 points per game and holding their opponents to just 67.5 points for the second-best scoring margin in the Sun Belt through two games at +13.5. 
 
In Troy’s opener on Monday, five players scored in double-figures showing off the strong depth in this year’s team. On Saturday, four players scored in double-figures. Jackson Fields leads Troy in scoring with 12.5 points per game so far this season. He scored 10 against Toledo and then recorded a career-high 15 in Saturday’s win. 
 
In addition to Fields’ strong scoring, he has also been the team’s best rebounder so far, grabbing 7.0 boards per game. On Saturday he tallied his first career double-double after grabbing 10 rebounds. It’s just the second time in his career he’s had double-digit rebounds in a game. 
 
Also playing a big role in the offense has been Tayton Conerway who is averaging six assists through the first two games. He and Marcus Rigsby Jr. have taken on a big role this season as the starting backcourt after last year’s starting guards Christyon Eugene and Aamer Muhammad graduated.
 
On defense, Troy has been impressive through two games. The Trojans opponents are shooting 38.8 percent from the field and 18.9 percent from 3-point range. Troy is also leading the Sun Belt in rebounds per game with 45.5 per game, which is also good for 39th in the country. The Trojans are generating plenty of second chances on the glass, as Troy is 37th in the country in offensive rebounds per game with 15.5. Last season, Troy finished first in the conference and 15th nationally in offensive boards per game with 13.42. 
 
The Trojans continue dominant in the chaos game, as it’s forcing 13.5 turnovers per game. Troy is also 69th in the country in steals per game with 10.0. Last season, the Trojans finished second in the country with 10.3 per game. 
 
The Arkansas Razorbacks 
Troy enters Wednesday’s contest with a 1-5 all-time record against the Razorbacks. Troy’s lone win came on Dec. 3, 2002, at Arkansas. The Trojans came away with a 74-66 victory and got a team-high 23 points from Ben Fletcher. It’s one of six wins Troy has over Power Five teams. 
 
Arkansas is coming off a tough 72-67 loss to No. 8 Baylor. The Razorbacks got their first win under Calipari last Wednesday at home against Lipscomb. Through two games, Boogie Fland is leading the team in scoring with 34 total points (17.0 ppg). Fland was named one of 20 players on the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Watch List prior to the season. He was also ranked the No. 8 “Impact Freshman” by Field of 68. 
 
Notables 
• Scott Cross is in his sixth season at the helm for Troy men’s basketball, and his 18th as a Division I men’s basketball head coach. While at Troy he has put together an 82-76 record, which includes three straight seasons of 20 or more wins and 10 or more conference wins. 
 
• Troy opened its season with a dominating 84-74 win over Toledo in the MAC-SBC Challenge at Trojan Arena. It was Troy’s second-largest margin of victory over a Division I opponent to open its season in its DI era. Troy defeated Quinnipiac by 11 in 2005. 
 
• The Trojans followed up their opening win with a 78-61 win on the road against New Orleans. Jackson Fieldsrecorded his first career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Troy didn’t win a road game until Dec. 30 last season (at Coastal Carolina). 
 
• Troy will rely heavily on guards Marcus Rigsby Jr., and Tayton Conerway to help replace the production lost from last year’s staring backcourt of Aamer Muhammad and Christyon Eugene, who both graduated following the season and are now playing internationally. 
 
• The Trojans are returning 100 total starts from last season from seven different players. Troy also returned 262 total games played between 10 players. 
 
• Myles Rigsby and Tayton Conerway each earned preseason Sun Belt honors following a strong 2023-24. Rigsby, who was named the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year in 2024, was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team. Conerway, who was named the Sun Belt Sixth Man of the Year, was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team. It’s the second consecutive season that Troy has had multiple preseason all-conference selections after Muhammad and Eugene each earned the honor prior to last season. 
 
• Jackson Fields, who started 27 of the 28 games he appeared in last season, and Kameryn Mitchell are the longest tenured Trojans as the pair enter their third season under head coach Scott Cross. All other players are either entering their second year in the program or are new to this year’s team. 
 
• Troy did not lose or add a single player to the NCAA Transfer Portal. The only non-freshman addition to this year’s team is JUCO transfer Cobi Campbell, who is out indefinitely with an injury.