by NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana – Troy posted 86 rebounds, the second-most in a game in NCAA history, as the third-seeded Trojans routed No. 11 Arkansas State 105-72 in the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Lakefront Arena on Thursday.
Troy’s rebound total was second only to the 92 Pittsburgh recorded against George Washington in 1982; it is also the most in a Sun Belt Conference Tournament game. Caitlyn Ramirez (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma) turned in a game-high 25 points and 22 rebounds, both are Trojan single-game Sun Belt Tournament records while her rebounding performance is the best in Sun Belt Tournament and Troy’s Division I history.
The Trojans (20-10) also set a Sun Belt Conference record with 107 shots and tied the league’s mark with 32 free throws made.
Ramirez, who set the school’s Division I single-game rebound record earlier this season with 20 against Auburn and tied it against Georgia State, again set the bar with her third 20-plus rebound game. She leads the league and is top 25 in the NCAA with 10.4 boards per game. The Shawnee, Okla., native was 10-of-10 from the free throw line and 7-of-14 from the field.
Claresa Banks scored 19 points, one shy of her career-high, while Jayla Chills added 12 and Harriett Winchester finished with 10.
Troy eclipsed 100 points for the fourth time this season and the first time ever in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament; it was also the first 100-point game in the tournament since 2010.
The Trojans advance to face No. 2 UT Arlington in the semifinals on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Troy and the Mavericks split the season series and UTA advanced in the tournament by defeating South Alabama, 65-53, on Thursday.
QUOTABLE
“Tonight was a rare, special moment for a coach,” Troy head coach Chanda Rigby said. “The one thing that we wanted to come out and focus on was rebounding and we really did that. Our seniors really set the tone, we had several players come of the bench and contribute, but our seniors set the tone.”
NOTABLE
• Troy’s 86 rebounds tied the total Grambling produced against Texas College on Nov. 14, 1998. The NCAA record for rebounds in a game is 92 set by Pittsburgh against George Washington on Jan. 2 1982.
• Of the 86 rebounds, 45 were in the offensive side leading to 43 second chance points.
• Dajia Williams turned in a nice stat line with nine points and nine rebounds.
• Claresa Banks had four steals and seven rebounds to go along with her 19 points.
• Ramirez has 313 rebounds on the season, which is second-most in Troy’s Division I history.
