Takeaways from Troy’s 79-71 win over Samford
Troy took the lead eight seconds into the game and never relinquished it in the Trojans’ 79-71 home win over in-state foe Samford on Wednesday night.
Khalyl Waters set a new career-high with 21 points while Zay Williams and Nick Stampley each had their own double-doubles. Of the season-high 79 points Troy put up, that aforementioned trio was responsible for 58 of them.
The Trojans move to 4-3 and have a winning record for the first time in the Scott Cross era. The three-game win streak the Trojans are now riding is tied longest under cross. Wednesday’s win was the second straight wire-to-wire victory with the Trojans’ never trailing in the last outing against Central Baptist.
Here are our biggest takeaways from the game.
Khalyl Waters has stepped into a bigger role
Waters started just three games last season but has already found himself in the starting lineup four times this year in seven games. His improvement on offense and invaluable contributions at the charity stripe have made him a key piece of the rotation this season.
“Khalyl has really worked hard, his confidence is growing,” Cross said of Waters after the game. “He’s such a strong finisher. But what’s been really impressive, though, is the way he’s been shooting his free throws… That’s been a huge boost for us.”
Waters made an immediate impact against the Bulldogs, scoring 11 points in the first half on nine free throws. His defensive awareness was put on display later in the second half when the senior picked off a pass on the perimeter and subsequently sent home a breakaway two-handed slam to force a Samford timeout.
Waters finished with 13 made free throws in 14 attempts and ran up a 29-attempt streak of successful free throw tries before the run ended in the second half. For the season, Waters is shooting 92.3 percent at the free throw line.
Nick Stampley gets his shot at Samford
The unquestioned leader of the team played just six minutes against the Bulldogs in last year’s contest but got his second chance to fill up the box score this time around, playing 38 minutes. Stampley poured in a season-high 17 points and added 12 rebounds to secure his second-career double-double. The senior also recorded five blocks, with one of them popping up on SportsCenter.
“It feels good (to be on SportsCenter),” Stampley said after the game. “I would’ve never thought I’d be on SportsCenter.”
Stampley was responsible for putting the dagger in Samford’s comeback bid with an and-one basket that turned a teetering seven-point into a double-digit advantage with two minutes left.
“Coach Mangrum told me I was due for a breakout game,” according to Stampley.
Stampley is the only Troy player since at least the 2010-11 season to record 17 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks in a game and is the second player in the country to do so this season. His five-block double-double is a Troy first since Tom Jervis in 2007.
Zay Williams remains the rock
The most experienced player on the roster played like it on Wednesday. The junior notched his third double-double of his career and second in three games with a 20-point, 13-rebound outing.
“Starting to see (Williams) play like a grown man,” Cross said. “He looks like a pro out there. His confidence is really starting to grow. As long as he continues to put on weight he is going to be a problem for whatever team we face because he’s so skilled.”
Williams was also active from the stripe, knocking down 11 freebies in the contest. The season leader in scoring hit six straight free throws inn the final 10 minutes of the game to help keep Samford at bay.