by By Wes Johnson
ATLANTA, Georgia – For the first time since the 1996-97 season, the Troy women’s basketball team is 9-4 overall and 2-0 in conference play for the first time since 2001-02 as the Trojans took an 87-69 victory from Georgia State at GSU Sports Arena on Thursday.
The Trojans forced 30 turnovers including 15 steals with six coming from senior Caitlyn Ramirez (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma), who also scored 20 points to go along with nine rebounds. Troy led for 31 minutes of the 40 and got double-digit scoring from Jayla Chills (19) and Amanda Mendoza (10). Chills knocked down 4-of-8 3-pointers while the team was 33-of-76 (43.4 percent) for the game.
Jada Lewis scored 20 points in the first three quarters for Georgia State (5-8, 1-1 SBC) before Mendoza was handed the task of keying on her for the final 10 minutes. Lewis finished the game with 21 points to lead the Panthers.
Once again, Troy got big contributions from the bench as the reserves scored 51 points. 10 of the 13 Trojans that played in the game scored.
The Trojans built a late 20-point lead for the second consecutive game as they went on a 23-4 run against South Alabama on Saturday to take a 20-point lead. Troy led by 11 in the second quarter but a 6-0 Georgia State run to end the half cut into the advantage, 37-32.
QUOTABLE
“We got big contributions off the bench,” Troy head coach Chanda Rigby said. “I feel like our strength is our depth. Also, Amanda Mendoza did a great job of guarding Jada Lewis after she has scored a bunch of points. That was a big boost in the game.”
UP NEXT
Troy travels to face Georgia Southern on Saturday for a 1 p.m. (CT) tip. The Trojans have won eight straight in the series including the last three in Statesboro, Ga.
NOTEABLE
• Caitlyn Ramirez scored 20-plus points for the fifth time in her career. She was one rebound shy of her sixth career double-double.
