by BIRMINGHAM – Ashley Beverly Kelley scored 33 points, but it wasn’t enough as Troy lost a back-and-forth game, 73-69, against Samford in the Pete Hanna Center on Tuesday night.
Beverly Kelley was 11-of-17 from the floor, including a third-quarter, buzzer-beating layup after a steal that gave Troy a 45-43 entering the final quarter. However, Samford scored 30 points in the fourth quarter, including 14-of-16 from the free throw line.
Troy (1-1) led by as many as 10 points in the third quarter, but Samford’s Kassidy Blevins made all five of her 3-pointers in the games’ final 12 minutes to get Samford ahead. The fifth came with 5:27 to go in the fourth and gave Samford a 54-51 lead it would never give up.
Troy was within one possession with the ball three times in the final three minutes, but couldn’t capitalize as Samford also hit 8-of-8 free throws in that stretch.
Beverly Kelley scored 26 of her points in the second half, including 17 in the fourth quarter to keep the Trojans in the game. The senior went 9-of-9 from the free throw line and also grabbed seven rebounds and three steals.
Caitlyn Ramirez (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma) and Ta’Kierra Gibbs were also in double figures for Troy with 12 and 10 points, respectively, but combined for just two in the second half. Ramirez fouled out fighting for a rebound with 6:05 to go and Gibbs only took two second-half shots.
Troy forced 19 turnovers as Gibbs and Rachel Reid also grabbed three steals, but the Trojans committed 23 turnovers, including nine offensive fouls.
Samford (2-1) shot just 36 percent (20-of-56) while Troy shot 47 percent (24-of-51), but the difference was Troy’s turnovers and Samford’s free throw shooting. The Bulldogs hit 24-of-28 free throws in the game while Troy was 14-of-17. Samford also hit nine 3-pointers after having just two at halftime.
Blevins had 19 points off the bench, including the five second-half 3-pointers. Brittany Stevens and Lydia McGee each had 12 points for the Bulldogs who were playing their third game in five days.
Troy returns to the court on Sunday when it welcomes Fort Valley State to Trojan Arena for a 2 p.m. contest.
